Fair Race Tracks For All Horses

Every year around Melbourne Cup time, this issue raises its ugly head. Why? Because Racing Victoria issue an edict to every course manager to prepare race tracks to a dead (4) level. This ensures the sting is out of the ground giving horses softer going to place their feet when racing. So track managers water race courses to obtain the dead rating.

Well, we have to ask why this issue is raised every year, and why Racing Victoria issue this edict. There are two reasons why. Firstly, to appease overseas horses, especially those from Europe who are used to very soft race tracks. In fact, Racing Victoria guarantee the overseas raiders won't face hard, fast surfaces come Melbourne Cup time, ensuring a quality line up come the first Tuesday in November. The second reason tracks are watered is to appease high profile trainers who have good quality gallopers who are racing with major leg or feet problems. These Australian trainers march out this time every year inisiting track managers water, no doctor, race courses to give their horses more of a winning chance, as the trainer knows full well on a good to fast track the horses problems will not allow it to run to its full potential. And with the huge prizemoney on offer, trainers want their horses racing for these riches and to be competitive.

Again, we have to ask why? Rain affected or watered race tracks are prone to bias. Some are affected to favour on pace on fence runners giving back markers little or no hope, other rain affected tracks favour the run on horses who swoop out wide on the track giving leaders near the fence no hope. Why would any one want any sort of bias on Derby Day, Melbourne Cup day, or any day of racing for that matter.

The fact is, the majority (silent majority, non lobbying majority) would prefer a good racing surface, every day of the year. And rightly so. The best and fairest racing surface is a GOOD track. A good track should be prepared whenever and wherever possible, so every horse is allowed to run on its merits and have every possible winning opportunity.

The racing surfaces prepared by Victorian track managers are biased toward the overseas challengers and the high profile local trainers. When Australian horses travel to Hong Kong, or England to race, they cop whatever is dished up to them come race day. Our trainers certainly have no say or influence over how tracks are prepared. However Racing Victoria panders to overseas horses giving them the best track conditions, the ones they are used to at home, the ones that are in their favour, the ones they were promised.

Look at Werribee Cup day yesterday. It was the biggest joke of a track that we have witnessed since Flemington on Turnbull Stakes day when the fence (due to incessant watering) was a complete no go zone. Werribee yesterday favoured leaders, or on pace on fence horses. No horse made ground out wide, no horses won from further than two off the fence.

So, after the debacle of Flemington a month ago, Werribee yesterday, we now approach the biggest week of racing in Australia, Melbourne Cup week, when 4 meetings are held at headquarters in the space of 8 days. If Flemington plays on Saturday, anywhere like it did on Turnbull Stakes day, punters face massive losses. And if the track is biased on Derby Day, the first day of the carnival, then it will only get worse for the following three days.

Let's hope for every punters sake, the track at Flemington plays fairly to all runners for the next week. Hopefully tracks are not doctored so they become rain affected. This will give all punters the opportunity to find that elusive winner without worrying about how the track might play.

May the best horses win.

Good luck and profitable punting to all.