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Letter of the Week

Karrakatta coverage poor

 

The $500,000 Karrakatta Plate was run in Perth on Saturday April 17 but you would hardly have known it by the coverage, or should I say non-coverage, that it received in the Melbourne media.

It was the second-richest race in Australia that day, behind only the Doncaster and ahead, in money, of the cut-price Group 1s at Randwick. It also had Victorian participation.

The Sunday papers in melbourne did not have any story on the Perth race and published only the TAB numbers in the results section — no horses’ names or any other details.

Radio Sport 927 did not mention the race at all in its Correct Weight Sunday review program.

I think he whole business was very poor from a media perspective, and it makes you wonder if the people in control at radio stations, even specialty racing stations, know much about racing. The press coverage, as I have shown abaove, was abysmal.

On another topic, the AJC autumn carnival, to me, has been disappointing, with shocking prizemoney by previous standards and poor attendances.

Golden Slipper day was great but the AJC these days seems like the poor relation of Sydney racing.

It is almost unbelievable that such races as the AJC Oaks, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Galaxy and All Aged Stakes are worth less money than the Hobart, Adelaide and Perth cups.

There should be one "Super Saturday" at Randwick. The derby and Doncaster should be on the same day, as they used to be and please, more prizemoney, appropriate to a major carnival.

Hugh Fraser
Frankston South (Vic)
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