October
JuneBowing to the inevitable
David Hunter of Racing & Wagering Western Australia (More Say 11/5) states that Western Australia was "on notice" from the Australian Pattern Committee that the WA Derby would "inevitably" be downgraded to Group 2 when it boosted the prizemoney for the Winterbottom Stakes to $500,000.
The Winterbottom boost came because "it had been a long-standing practice of the Aus-PC to afford the state losing a Group 1 racefirst opportunity to have another race upgraded to Group 1 status, provided a race existed that satisfied the Aus-PC parameters."
Surely, before being told the Derby would "inevitably" be downgraded, WA would have been given notice that it was in danger. If so, that was the time for a prizemoney boost — to the Derby.
I do realise that a prizemoney boost alone might not have saved the Derby, given the insane criteria employed by the Aus-PC. But it is disappointing that yet another staying classic has been downgraded without so much as a yelp from the state authority.
Cremorne (Vic)