Racing wars reignite after revolt over Everest status

The group 1 status of mega sprint race the Everest is under a cloud after a revolt among Racing Victoria stakeholders that threatens to reignite the racing wars.

It emerged this week that a key international racing body was yet to approve the Everest’s group 1 classification, despite Racing Australia announcing the upgrade last week.

The Everest was granted group 1 status last week – or was it?Credit: Getty Images

Two sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity to speak freely, said the request to elevate the richest turf race in the world to group 1 level had not been ticked off by the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee (IRPAC).

It would mean the first horse home in Saturday’s $20 million dash for cash would not be recognised as a group 1 winner – a result that would have serious implications for the winner’s stud career if it is a colt, filly or a mare.

Racing Australia chief executive Paul Eriksson dismissed the claims on Tuesday night, saying the body had written approval from the Asian Pattern Committee, which coordinates race programs and ratings in the region, for the Everest and the Victoria’s All-Star Mile to be granted group 1 status.

Eriksson said Racing Australia had received a letter last week to say the approval was effective immediately.

Peter V’landys, chief executive and a board member of Racing New South Wales.Credit: Louise Kennerley

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’Landys said he understood that the group 1 status had been approved by the Asian Pattern Committee and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), which oversees IRPAC.

But the two sources said this was not the case. They told this masthead that before a new group 1 in this country could be approved it had to go through four steps.

It had to be approved by Racing Australia, the Asian Pattern Committee, IRPAC and then the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers. They said IRPAC met last week and held off on approving the Everest and the All-Star Mile.

Racing Australia’s decision-making came under fire at a heated meeting in Melbourne on Monday.

Steps to becoming a world-recognised group 1 race

• Have a regular race date on the calendar
• Achieve a yearly high rating, primarily by attracting high-rating horses (The Everest continually sets a world-class standard)
• Gain Racing Australia approval
• Have the decision reviewed and approved by the Asian Pattern Committee
• Have the decision reviewed and approved by the International Race Grading and Advisory Committee
• Have the decision rubber stamped by the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers

Leading Victorian racing figures criticised new Racing Victoria chairman Tim Eddy and chief executive Aaron Morrison for not consulting stakeholders about proposed changes.

The two sources said Eddy was not at the meeting, but had gone on a fishing trip to Western Australia in the middle of the spring carnival.

Eddy, who is RV’s representative on the Racing Australia board, has been criticised for agreeing to new national guidelines that the sources say heavily favour racing in NSW and damage Australia’s international reputation.

“It makes Australia look ridiculous,” one source said. “We are saying these races are group 1s, but the rest of the world won’t accept it.”

New Racing Victoria chairman Tim Eddy.Credit: Eamon Gallagher

Racing Australia announced last Friday that it had formed new “Australian black type guidelines” that would allow a race to be elevated to group or listed level if it attracted high-rating horses and achieved a high race rating. Black type is highly sought after in a horse’s pedigree for breeding purposes.

But the sources said this framework had the potential to create too many group 1 events in Australia and dilute the standard. “You can’t have too many grand finals,” they said.

One of the key financial attractions of having a group 1 race rated in the world’s top 100 is that it becomes part of the world betting pool, overseen by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, which delivers greater returns to the states.

Both the Caulfield Cup and the Everest will be part of the world pool on Saturday.

But the two sources said the new guidelines would allow a scenario in which NSW could use its superior war chest to undermine the Melbourne Cup.

They said Racing NSW had enough money to create a $10 million 3200-metre staying race on the first Tuesday in November that could be quickly elevated to group 1 status under the new rules by attracting the highest-ranking horses.

“Eddy and Morrison were not aware of the full implications of what they were doing,” one source said. “They agreed to a Racing Australia deal that undermined Racing Victoria. They didn’t speak to anyone.”

One prominent owner-breeder, who did not want to be named, said Eddy’s position as chairman was no longer tenable – just four months after he was appointed.

Racing Victoria stakeholders have demanded that Eddy and Morrison go back to Racing Australia and wind back the new guidelines – a course of action that would set Victoria back on a collision course with NSW. Eddy has been contacted for comment.

Morrison, who was appointed RV CEO in August, does not sit on the Racing Australia board.

A Racing Victoria spokesperson confirmed that the state’s governing body met with shareholders on Monday to discuss the guidelines.

“The RV board and executive are now considering that feedback and will engage with Racing Australia thereafter,” the spokesperson said.

Morrison fronted the meeting on Monday to explain Racing Australia’s new black type guidelines but was quickly met with a range of concerns.

The meeting was attended by RV board members Sharon McCrohan, Tim Rourke, Kate Joel and Mark Player as well as members from the sport’s shareholders: the Victorian Racing Club, Melbourne Racing Club, Moonee Valley Racing Club, Southside Racing, Country Racing Victoria, the Australian Trainers Association, the Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association, Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria and the Victorian Jockeys’ Association.

It has been a short-lived honeymoon for Racing Australia, an organisation that sat dormant for seven years because of the racing wars.

The feud was ignited when Racing NSW tried to fast-track the Everest to group 1 status after its inception in 2017, but was denied in the Racing Australian boardroom by an aggrieved Racing Victoria, who held a blocking vote. The Everest has consistently rated as one of the best sprint races in the world.

But the newly appointed Eddy and Morrison helped bring the organisation back together this year after breaking bread with V’Landys at a rugby league state-of-origin match at the MCG in June.

It was hoped the move would resurrect the national “pattern” – a national calendar to ensure big events do not clash, so the best horses can race against each other.

But a decision by the new-look Racing Australia to introduce upgrades for 87 races has backfired.

Queensland and Western Australia were to announce upgrades to 18 and 11 races this week but baulked at the last minute because of unrest, while Racing NSW went it alone in confirming its upgrades of 12 races last week.

There has already been ramifications. In a blow for connections, the winner of the Tapp-Craig at Rosehill on Saturday – the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott-trained colt Anode – will not be properly recognised as a stakes victory because the race has not been internationally approved.

In contrast, the Melbourne Racing Club rejected the chance to upgrade two of its races – the Alinghi Stakes and Ethereal Stakes – on Caulfield Cup day because new chairman John Kanga said it went against the long-term interests of racing in the state.

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