Many racing industry participants here in WA would have tuned into the popular "Racing Retro" programme last Sunday morning and heard
Richard Freedmans harsh criticism of our Group race status - referring in derogatory terms to the G2
Karrakatta Plate and G1
WA Derby.
Freedman presented a very one-sided personal opinion on the issue-one that quite rightly was not shared by other members of his panel. Now that the topic has been raised in front of a national audience, it needs addressing for two reasons-firstly to firmly rebuke Freedmans ignorant and biased opinon so that people get a clearly balanced argument, and secondly because as a matter of course, the issue will most probably be raised at the looming Pattern race committee meeting in July anyway.
The first thing the "anti WA mob" should understand about racing is that not all Group 1's have the depth of talent in them that we'd all like to see. In fact there are infinitely more cases as such in the Eastern States than there are elsewhere. For example, take some of those WFA events over recent times which have attracted small fields comprised of one stand out horse which usually starts at long odds on, supported by an inferior cast of B & C graders. Horses such as
Lonhro,
Grand Armee,
Tie The Knot and even as far back as
Kingston Town, often went around in a "gimme" which were lack lustre in depth and provided not one ounce of a spectacle. Granted,
Plastered was a good example in our Derby last year, but there are many, many examples happening more frequently on the East coast. Some years Richard, you get vintage fields-some you don't. That's racing-it just happens that way.
Freedman must have been having a "seniors moment" when he decided to knock the standard of
Western Australian racehorses, for there's no doubt that WA can and consistently does produce gallopers that are equal to, and in many cases far better than the best that the rest of Australia can offer at the time. Good examples that immediately spring to mind are
Northerly,
Plastered,
Placid Ark etc, oh and even
Ellicorsam just recently! But don't forget also that WA's breeding operation has also produced overseas Group 1 winners too.
Hail The Storm and
Shout From Maroof, (renamed
Natural Blitz)-both horses who have won at the highest level overseas were both bred in little ol' WA! Not bad for a state that to start with is numerically disadvantaged as we have just a measily 10% of Australia's thoroughbreds!
Still not convinced? Then bring your horses over to WA and try and win one! There's quite a list of Eastern States trainers who have found it more or less impossible to beat the WA horses on their home ground. The best thing Richard can do if his brothers will listen to him, is convince them to bring some representatives over for our next Summer carnival and try and win that $1,000,000 bonus on offer!
Importantly too, if there's any serious thought about downgrading the
WA Derby from it's Group 1 status, then to be fair to all concerned, you must also look at similar races such as the SA Derby, the QLD Derby and even a race like the Metropolitan Hcp at
Randwick. These races often lack depth just as races everywhere else sometimes do too. Granted, Railings went on from his Metrop victory last year to win a
Caulfield Cup, but other than that, the race has been below Group 1 standard for a number of years. Similarly, from an international point of view, the
Italian and
German Derbies are both Group 1 races but everyone knows that they are 10 lengths below the French and English equivalents. In Europe though, there are no calls for the downgrading of these such races because the industry at large realises that they are incredibly valuable to their respective local racing and breeding industries.
If WA needs support in this matter, then it should press this point heavily as the
Chairman of the Pattern Committee is also the
Chairman of the SAJC too!
Finally, Freedmans comment about running similar Group 1 level races at the same time needs further comment. One can't ignore the fact that between East and West lies the vast Nullabor plain. The distance involved between "here and there" supports the neccessity for an almost "stand alone" racing industry in the West. And boy is it BOOMING at the moment!
Comparing the monthly training bills between East and West is truly chalk and cheese. Whilst the average trainers account in Perth is around the $1800-$2000 mark, it's about $3,000 PLUS across the paddock! I recently had a bill for a three year old filly in Melbourne who was getting close to trials, but neverthless didn't race during that month and it was a whopping $4,198! And that was with a trainer who you've probably never heard of!
The level of
prizemoney in WA is worth gloating over. Look at it this way. If your horse wins a $40,000 Saturday race in Perth, it's worth $26,000 less the standard 15% which is close enough to $23,000 or, at the average rate of $55/day (inc GST but not including extras), would buy you a further 402 training days. A similar win in Melbourne or Sydney (from a $55,000 race) with a gross of $35,750 would nett you $30,388 or at the average rate of $88/day would buy you only 345 training days. When you factor in that the "extras" are much higher in the East, (take my word for it!), the figure gets worse for Sydney and Melbourne, and the value of racing your horse in Perth is pretty bloody obvious!
Those in the position to make a decision on the status of
Group & Listed races in Australia should dismiss Freedmans comments on the subject as churlish, misguided and ignorant. His was not an opinion supported by his colleagues, nor I doubt is it supported by many others in the industry. The 3 Group 1 races in WA should be left as they are.
