October
OctoberA difficult age
Two years ago, I queried why a moderate southern-hemisphere three-year-old was handicapped, relative to the weight-for-age scale, as the best horse in the Melbourne Cup.
I was informed that an Australian rule of racing stipulated that no horse could be assigned less than 49kg in a handicap race.
What a ridiculous rule.
Once again this year we see two southern three-year-olds, Sydney Blue and Thinkin Big, handicapped as the best two horses in the Melbourne Cup relative to the wfa scale.
Thinkin Big has since won the Gloaming Stakes and is clearly a smart horse, but compare his weight (49kg) with those of northern-hemisphere three-year-olds Kew Gardens and Latrobe, both classic winners and obviously high-class horses..
The two southerners are weighted half a kilo under weight-for-age. Kew Gardens, even after being penalised, is 1.5kg under wfa and Latrobe is 3.5kg under.
Last year Rekindling, a northern-hemisphere three-year-old, became the youngest winner of the Melbourne Cup in 76 years.
That may be the start of a trend if northern three-year-olds continue to be weighted so favourably.
If a southern-hemisphere three-year-old cannot be handicapped fairly in the Melbourne Cup then either the conditions should be changed or they should be ineligible to run.
Frankston South (Vic()