Legendary sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney fears ‘crisis point’ for racing over The Everest’s Group 1 status
Legendary sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney has implored racing authorities to ‘sort out’ international Group 1 ratification for The Everest before the $20 million sprint is run on Saturday.
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Bruce McAvaney, the voice of Australian sport, says racing has reached a crisis point on the eve of one of the biggest days on the turf calendar.
McAvaney said it was crucial the Group 1 status for the $20 million The TAB Everest was made official before the world’s richest turf race is run at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Racing Australia last week announced The Everest as a Group 1, but there have been questions raised over whether the upgrade was formal ahead of ratification from racing’s international controlling authority.
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McAvaney also questioned the clash of The Everest with the $5 million Caulfield Cup on the same day and criticised the Australian Pattern Committee for introducing too many Group 1 races in recent years.
“We have come to the crisis point in one of the most important weeks of the year for racing,’’ McAvaney said.
“The time has arrived for something good to come out of this as I feel there is a sense of great frustration in the sport we love.’’
In an exclusive interview with Racenet, McAvaney – who hosts Channel 7’s race day coverage – implored racing authorities to confirm if champion jockey James McDonald was riding for his 100th Group 1 winner in The Everest.
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“If James McDonald was to ride the winner of The Everest, it could be a magical moment for the sport so this has to be sorted out before Saturday,’’ McAvaney said.
“Plus, it is important for the three colts in the race, Traffic Warden (Godolphin), Growing Empire (Yulong) and Storm Boy (Coolmore), as they are raced by some of the biggest racing and breeding operations in the world.
“There is no doubt the Everest and All-Star Mile both deserve Group 1 status. I don’t think there is anyone in racing who could possibly argue they are not of Group 1 standard.
“The argument here is about transparency and also more about the flow on to these other races that have the potential to be upgraded.
“I don’t think a race like The Shorts should be a Group 1 for example.’’
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McAvaney then took aim at the Pattern Committee for allowing too many races to be upgraded to Group 1 level in the last 20 years.
“It is the Pattern Committee that has taken Australian racing to 74 Group 1 races. They have given all these ‘quarterfinals’ and ‘semi finals’ Group 1 status,’’ he said.
“They have made a rod for their own back. The Pattern Committee needs to take responsibility for the mess we have got ourselves in with too many Group 1 races.’’
McAvaney suggested there should not be a Group 1 race run in Sydney or Melbourne each spring until the Golden Rose in late September.
This would mean races like the Winx Stakes, Memsie Stakes, Makybe Diva Stakes and others would revert to Group 2 level.
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He also highlighted other examples like whether the Orr Stakes and Futurity Stakes – both weight-for-age races over 1400m at Caulfield in autumn – should each have Group 1 status.
“There are many intelligent people in the sport and maybe we can come up with a good group to work on this,’’ McAvaney said.
“I think they could put a red line through about 25 races that should be not Group 1.’’
McAvaney said The Everest’s evolution in just eight years meant the race was now considered among the five majors in Australian racing along with the Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate, Golden Slipper and Caulfield Cup.
But he said a clash between The Everest and Caulfield Cup should be avoided as it prevented the best jockeys from riding in both races.
“It is like Wimbledon or the Australian Open having another tennis tournament at the same time and some players go to the event that has more money and don’t play in the major,’’ he said.
“I think there is something fundamentally wrong with the sport if the best jockeys in Australia can’t ride in a major.’’
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Pride Of Jenni ‘transcends the sport’: McAvaney
Pride Of Jenni has a magnetic appeal that transcends the sport, Fangirl’s finishing speed is without parallel.
This sets up potentially one of the greatest races ever at Royal Randwick for the $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday, according to McAvaney.
“I don’t think there is much between Pride Of Jenni and Fangirl, this could be one of the most exciting final 200m we have seen at Randwick,’’ he said.
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“Fangirl has a massive chance but how much start will she be giving Pride Of Jenni on the turn?
“I don’t think there is a more magnetic horse in the country than Pride Of Jenni. She transcends the sport, not in the way Winx or Black Caviar did, but like Nature Strip when he won at Royal Ascot or Verry Elleegant when she won the Melbourne Cup.
“Pride Of Jenni is the one horse in the country that people who don’t follow racing have an affection for.
“Part of me hopes Pride Of Jenni does win because it sets up the Cox Plate next week but either way, her clash with Fangirl is going to be a great race.’’
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McAvaney also believes Godolphin maestro James Cummings is poised for his greatest day as a trainer with a Group 1 double from Traffic Warden in the $20 million The TAB Everest (1200m) and Zardozi in the $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m).
“The Everest field is outstanding,’’ McAvaney said.
“I can’t think of any sprinter that should be there that isn’t in the field.
“We even have the first (Lady Of Camelot), third (Storm Boy) and fourth (Traffic Warden) placegetters from the Golden Slipper which is really good.
“Jamie Kah gets her first ride in the race, (trainers) Ciaron Maher, Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald have their first runners. It’s a fantastic Everest.’’
McAvaney has landed on Godolphin’s crack colt, Traffic Warden, as his Everest selection.
“I think Traffic Warden has drawn well, he will absorb the pressure and wouldn’t it be something if Jamie Kah was to win the race,’’ he said.
“Traffic Warden’s trainer, James Cummings, has knocked on the door a couple of times in The Everest and maybe this will be his day.’’
McAvaney said the Cummings-trained Zardozi is the horse to beat in the $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m).
“I like Zardozi,’’ he said. “She has drawn well and although I felt it was the correct decision to dismiss the protest in The Metropolitan last start, her second placing tells me she is going to run really well in the Caulfield Cup.’’
Originally published as Legendary sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney fears ‘crisis point’ for racing over The Everest’s Group 1 status
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