One of the big news stories all week came out of Melbourne as the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) signaled their intent to make the Caulfield Cup a weight-for-age (WFA) event.
Melbourne Racing Club Chairman Mike Symons confirmed the report this week.
“We’d have to get our skates on but it could be as early as this year but more likely 2018 — pending approval,” Symons told the Herald Sun.
“If we are going to increase international competition, we need to evolve.
“The distance (2400m) is internationally recognized as the elite distance for good horses but almost every other jurisdiction conducts those races at weight-for-age.”
Punters and industry participants have been divided in their opinions on this during the week with many arguing its just moving more towards the elite and pushing the battlers further away.
There is also the school of thought that having a premier WFA race so close to the running of the VRC’s Cox Plate would cannibalize the 2040m classic around Moonee Valley.
Whatever your stance there is no doubt that such a significant change to one of Australian racing’s ‘big three’ is massive industry news.
From a punting perspective, WFA racing might mean smaller fields and shorter priced favorites but the lure of WFA can bring some of the world’s best horses to Australia.
The other benefit is that runners will not receive a handicap penalty if they are to press on to the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November.
Last year we saw Hartnell bypass the Caulfield Cup in an effort to avoid being penalized weight ahead of his Melbourne Cup run.
What are your thoughts on the Caulfield Cup’s proposed move to WFA status? Feel free to share with us on Facebook and Twitter (@puntingstars)