Nerula 1,402 Report post Posted September 23, 2012 RW's points make a lot of sense to me as the great race is well out of whack now. It is not an even playing field when the Euros overate their horse encouraging and allowing inferior horses a start. This of course restricts the chance of Australasian horses gaining entry. Further ways to redress the situation would be for (1) RVL staff to not go go overseas to gratuitously invite all and sundry. (2) Eliminate all travel incentives for non Australasian horses Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearco 125 Report post Posted September 23, 2012 Hell, it's a bloody handicap ! The most important race is surely the Cox Plate, where horses race at Weight for Age. In a handicap, if the handicapper does his job, all horses cross the finishing line astern. To make the Melbourne Cup significant, make it a WFA race. And, persuade NZTR to have more staying races, restore the Wellington Cup to its proper distance, and honour our fine tradition of stayers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berri 2,131 Report post Posted September 23, 2012 The Melbourne Cup is becoming a conditions race and not a handicap. The race is meant to be structured to ensure that every horse has an equal chance of finishing across the line at the same time I remember many a time where owners and trainers have been spitting tacks because the handicapper has climbed into them. As the weights for the NH horses are alligned to a European rating system, with a bias to weights for NH horses, SH horses are at an automatic disadvantage. In addition, the NH horses have just had an entire season to make the qualification selection in races under terms which automatically qualify them for the Cup under weights created for NH conditions. There shouldn't be a top weight and there shouldn't be a bottom weight. One of the appeals of the cup is the "last gasper" entry (the Saab and others). This went from the winner and the second place getter to the winner only. If the off shore contingent see their horse knocked out of the cup because a last gasper on a penny weight gets in, they will think more about the risk of taking their horse down under. I agree with RW about the money to place getters 6th to 10th. I shouldn't really be saying this because my horses have finished in the top ten over the last couple of years so we've been picking up the cheque....BUT if this was eliminated, the NH owners would think twice about coming at the end of the season. The odds are worse to get some of the dosh....makes sense. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasman man 742 Report post Posted September 23, 2012 ......NH horses are higher rated and as a result too many are making up the field in the big one. Definitely not so good for Australasia and sooner or later something will be done to ensure a few more 'locals' will take part. However ,tweaking NZ races unlikely to change things for Kiwi hopefuls. Our races are simply not strong enough ,Kiwi horses would still need to perform in Aussie. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerula 1,402 Report post Posted September 23, 2012 Why this subject is important is that this is the big pot at the end of the rainbow for Australasian owners to chase. The rainbow is nearly over the horizon now. Legends have built up from the time Archer walked into Melbourne from away north. (Was it Newcastle?). History is now on hold. Like Berri I have chased the rainbow. Why would anyone from this part of the world even try now? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasman man 742 Report post Posted September 23, 2012 Why this subject is important is that this is the big pot at the end of the rainbow for Australasian owners to chase. The rainbow is nearly over the horizon now. Legends have built up from the time Archer walked into Melbourne from away north. (Was it Newcastle?). History is now on hold. Like Berri I have chased the rainbow. Why would anyone from this part of the world even try now? ......a great race and a great occasion all-round. That unlikely to change anytime soon ,as far as .....a race that stops Nations , attracting once-a-year punters , a social outing, Marketing, profiteering ,publicity etc etc. Just getting harder to participate in !!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Galvin 5 Report post Posted September 24, 2012 apart from the very good idea of not paying prize money 6th to 10th is to reduce the prizemoney to say, half the current level. That would be a significant disincentive to the Europeans. Would that move have any impact on the "status" of the Melbourne Cup? I think not, the Cup is the Cup and will always attract huge public interest even without such a large purse. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dopey 214 Report post Posted September 25, 2012 apart from the very good idea of not paying prize money 6th to 10th .... Historically , the payments back to 10th have been 'very important' to NZ'er who have gone in the race...and don't tell me that they have earnt enought gettting there... Of course the issue now is getting in the race. There have beewn some historic entries that were there on past performance rather than strong chance status - but then if you had qualified would't you have run !!!??? I would. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
