Racing industry unites behind call for ‘best race in the country’ to be given top ranking

WATCH NOW: The second episode of The Daily Telegraph’s documentary The Race reveals the full extent of the bitter rivalry between Racing NSW and Racing Victoria that is blocking the world’s richest race on turf from achieving racing’s top ranking.

Australia’s leading breeders and bloodstock agents have united in a call for The Tab Everest to be given elite Group One status.

The second episode of The Daily Telegraph’s documentary The Race released today reveals the full extent of the bitter rivalry between Racing NSW and Racing Victoria that is blocking the world’s richest race on turf from achieving racing’s top ranking.

Ad man and horse owner John Singleton, who has Hawaii Five Oh running in the race this year, said “it takes two minutes” for The Everest to be elevated to Group One status.

Mr Singleton said “of course” The Everest should be given the ranking because it is the “biggest race in Sydney” with the “biggest kick in prize money”.

Racing Victoria has used its position on the Pattern Committee to block The Everest from being given the top ranking.

John Singleton said The Everest should be a Group One. Picture Chris Pavlich

That has sparked a bitter feud with Racing NSW which has taken legal action over an anti-competitive plot to form a new national racing body without it.

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys tells The Race documentary that the idea behind The Everest was never designed to take away from Victoria’s spring carnival.

“All we’re trying to do is promote New South Wales racing,” he said.

“Unfortunately, they saw that as taking away from their spring carnival.

“It was never designed to do that. It was always designed to work together.”

But “unfortunately” Racing Victoria took “an aggressive anti-competitive stance” which has seen Racing NSW take it to court.

Mr V’landys added that the issue was important to the racing industry but did not matter to the racing public.

“The younger generation couldn’t care if it was a Group One or a group 46. They’re there because it’s an exciting event and no one can take away how exciting the Everest is,” he said.

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys said the race was designed to work in with Victoria’s spring carnival.

The call for it to be given Group One status has been backed by industry leaders including bloodstock agent Henry Field who said the issue had become “a political hot potato”.

“It‘s just ridiculous that it’s not a Group One race,” he said.

“I really hope for the administrators that they can use a bit of common sense … to make it a Group One.”

Mr Field, who has a slot in the race, said failure to come to an agreement put the credibility of the Pattern Committee and the ratings system in Australia at risk in the eyes of world racing.

“If the best race in the country is not a Group One, well what’s the point of the process?” he said.

Bloodstock agent James Harron, who also owns a slot in the $20 million race, said there was no doubt that The Everest had qualified to be ranked alongside the best races in the country.

James Harron said there was no doubt The Everest had done enough to become a Group One.

“I don’t think there’s any question at all. It’s got the runs on the board now, it’s got the ratings … it’s got everything that could possibly make a race a Group One,” he said.

Tom Magnier, from international breeding operation Coolmore, said winning The Everest had made Yes, Yes, Yes a highly valued stallion at stud and that “in my eyes (The Everest) is a Group One anyway”.

Mr Magnier said Yes, Yes, Yes was highly sought after because he had won The Everest which meant he was being marketed in the same way as a Group One winning horse.

“When you have the best colts in Australia taking each other on and hopefully one day the best sprinters around the world taking each other on … it should be a Group One,” he said.