The new Racing Australia-led process to reform The Pattern is in disarray just three days after it was announced, with state-based racing authorities, led by Victoria, pausing plans to upgrade races after stakeholder unrest.
It is understood that state-based PRAs had planned to announce their upgraded races on Tuesday, after Racing NSW went it alone in confirming its upgrades of 12 races last week, having earlier confirmed the 2024 Everest would be run at Group 1 level.
However, stakeholders within the states have raised their opposition to the new protocols under the banner of “Australian Black Type Guidelines”, forcing PRAs to either delay or suspend their announcements.
There is a major concern that the guidelines have not received the approval of either the Asian Pattern Committee or the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee (IRPAC), meaning any upgrades would not be recognised internationally.
Racing Australia is within its power to upgrade races up to Group 2 level but must receive the approval of the Asian Pattern Committee to get international recognition of those races.
As an example, the win of Anode in what was supposed to be the first running of the Tapp-Craig at Listed level at Rosehill on Saturday, has not been acknowledged by international bodies on the I Am Invincible colt’s pedigree record.
If that was to stand, it would mean the horse does not have a black-type win, something which would substantially impact his value as a stallion prospect.
The Group 1 status of this weekend’s The Everest is not yet clear. While the upgrade of the $20 million feature and the All-Star Mile has the support for the Asian Racing Confederation, it was not signed off at a recent meeting of IRPAC.
The Straight understands that there was a meeting of Victorian stakeholders in Melbourne on Monday and that representatives of Racing Victoria, including three members of the board, deputy chair Sharon McRohan as well as Mark Player and Tim Rourke, were told in no uncertain terms of the displeasure of participants at the way the new process has been formulated.
The concerns of the stakeholders were chiefly centred around them not being consulted before the decision to adopt the new process was made. They have called for the release of the full guidelines from Racing Australia.
The Melbourne Racing Club was told it would receive two upgrades, to the Alinghi Stakes and Ethereal Stakes, on Caulfield Cup day this Saturday, but rejected the chance to do so.
“The Melbourne Racing Club will not entertain upgrades to the detriment of the long-term interests of Victorian racing,” newly elected chairman John Kanga told The Straight. “We don’t want short-term planning.
“We want a solid pattern and we are united with our fellow race clubs.
“The stakeholders are united on this.”
“We want a solid pattern and we are united with our fellow race clubs." - John Kanga
Racing Victoria is now under considerable pressure to change course, less than two months after new CEO Aaron Morrison and chairman Tim Eddy had claimed a new peace with Racing NSW and its CEO Peter V’landys.
Racing Victoria told stakeholders it had been restricted from discussing the new guidelines due to legal advice issued to the Racing Australia directors. Interestingly, Morrison is not an RA director.
Warwick Barr
It puts the RV CEO in the delicate position of having to negotiate Racing Australia legal politics and the concerns of stakeholders.
Racing Victoria has now proposed a hold on all upgrades until the concerns of the stakeholders are addressed.
While breeders were among the first to express concern about the change in the Pattern process last week, other participants, including clubs, have joined the rally of alarm, particularly in the way it was communicated.
Racing Queensland was set to announce 18 race upgrades to either Listed, Restricted Listed or Group 3 status, but stakeholders in that state have also expressed major reservations.
Tim Rowe
The new process was supposed to break a six-year stasis on The Pattern in Australia caused by a rift between the two major states, New South Wales and Victoria. The previous system, which involved a pattern committee regularly meeting to assess races, had fallen into disrepair, with Racing Australia unable to resolve the issue.
The decision to upgrade a host of races in the Sydney spring last week has also drawn criticism internationally, with concerns about how it may impact global bloodstock demand and valuations in Australia.
