THE plans for a two-day Cox Plate meeting, which has triggered an angry response from critics who fear the Moonee Valley track surface could be badly affected for Australia's weight-for-age championship, look to be set in stone after Racing Victoria's management gave the concept the go-ahead, reports The Age. It adds: RVL chief Rob Hines yesterday said that the organisation's executive staff had given in-principle support to the idea of a Friday night card leading into Saturday's showcase and th
THE plans for a two-day Cox Plate meeting, which has triggered an angry response from critics who fear the Moonee Valley track surface could be badly affected for Australia's weight-for-age championship, look to be set in stone after Racing Victoria's management gave the concept the go-ahead, reports The Age.
It adds: RVL chief Rob Hines yesterday said that the organisation's executive staff had given in-principle support to the idea of a Friday night card leading into Saturday's showcase and that the RVL board would confirm its support next month. The key factor in backing the plan, which would see the group 1 Manikato Stakes shifted from its current late September date to the night before the Cox Plate, was monetary, Hines explained.
''Essentially, the financial return to the industry [from a much higher than expected wagering turnover on the Friday night meeting] is significantly enhanced. There's a degree of risk, we acknowledge, but all the other major carnivals around the world manage to do it [hold meetings on consecutive days] and we do have the best surface in terms of workload,'' Hines said. Final approval needs to be given by the Australian and Asian Pattern Race Committees for the shift of the Manikato, a weight-for-age sprint over 1200 metres.