October
AprilMelbourne Cup worth too much
Thank you for publishing my recent letter regarding prizemoney (NSW v Victoria) and also your reply.
The reply says it is important to compare apples with apples.
I am quite happy to do so but first of all I point out that Sydney has two seven-figure prizemoney races in the spring, not one as stated. The Epsom was worth $1 million last spring, and so was the Golden Rose.
Last autumn, Sydney had 11 races of $1 million or more. This year the Randwick Guineas joined the club. Last spring Melbourne had 10 such races.
Your reply also states that you hesitate to mention a $6 million Melbourne Cup compared to a $2 million Sydney Cup. Why the hestitation?
I’ve got no problem with the Melbourne Cup being worth a lot more than the Sydney Cup.
But I do have a problem with $6 million being put into a race mainly for horses six years old and older, mainly imported, and even if won by a stallion, that horse will still have limited stud value.
The $6 million causes reduced prizemoney for other races run by the VRC. The really top horses rarely contest two-mile races these days and that is confirmed by the handicaps (weights).
I do not think a horse has been asked to carry weight-for-age for years. I really think that $6 million is ridiculous for a race of such ordinary quality.
If it is not of ordinary quality, why are the weights so low?
Fortunately, an extraordinary event lifted last year’s Melbourne Cup from the bore it is becoming.
That will not happen often. The VRC will always get a huge crowd to the Cup and the whole four days for that matter. It’s a great racing party, but I think the racing side of it needs a lift.
Frankston South