Winning Post - Letter Of The Week Archive

The preposterous elevation of the Canterbury, Memsie and Schweppes/Moir Stakes to Group 1 level underlines the extent to which the spurious science of international ratings has got out of control.

The response of Australian Pattern Committee chairman Alan Brown — that these races fit the ratings criteria and are therefore entitled to be Group 1s — is a serious abrogation of responsibility.

If ratings are the only factor, what’s the point of having a committee?

It is no surprise that none of the elevated races is longer than 1400 metres.

The lopsidedness of the Australian calendar will only get worse under this ludicrous cargo-cult worship of ratings.

Dale Scott
Cremorne (Vic)

Today's Racing

Friday 26 April

Ararat