14 June 2011

World's best horses race for peanuts at Royal Ascot

ARGUABLY the world's most prestigious five days in the global racing calendar kick off tonight with day 1 of Royal Ascot and the eagerly awaited clash of champions in the traditional opening race of the carnival, the time honoured Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes.

But just think for a minute what the champion French mare Goldikova, and her arch-rival, super four year old Canford Cliffs would do in the Group 3 Launceston Cup? They would be racing for more prizemoney. In fact Australia offers 108 races worth more than the paltry £141,925.00 (AUD$218,782) on offer in the Queen Anne. It's her special week, can't Her Majesty chip in a bit? Please don't tell us British racing is leading the world. ... UPDATE: Meanwhile, leading Australian trainer Peter Moody confirmed our assessment with comments published yesterday in the Melbourne Herald-Sun:
...Moody, speaking on Radio Sport National while in England for Royal Ascot, said a recent prize-money reduction there was another example of why Australia should go with a tote only system. "They are running for peanuts here (in the UK).  They've just had another prize-money cut by about a quarter,'' Moody said referring to the recent announcement that AU$3.3m would be cut from prize money. "The racing here is only for the upper class who are looking at ways to spend their money. In Australia it's about getting quick returns for owners who can then spend it on another horse.'' 
Moody went on to state the obvious: that Racing Victoria's decision to run with a pro-corporate bookie regime of taxing profits was fraught with danger as businesses invariably liked to reduce profits for taxation purposes.

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