The VRC has ignored a recommendation from Racing Victoria

The VRC has ignored a recommendation from Racing Victoria to include the Geelong Cup and Moonee Valley Cups as ballot-free races into the Melbourne Cup. The VRC yesterday announced new qualifying conditions for Australia’s iconic race. 

Now the only races that carry a ballot-free exemption into the $6 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) are the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate, the Mackinnon Stakes and the Hotham Handicap (Lexus Stakes).

VRC Racing Manager, James Earl, today told Racing Network five conditions had to be met before a race will be an exempt race.

Those five conditions are: The race must be open at all age horses; it must be Group 1; it must be worth $1 million or more; it must be 2000 metres or more; and it must be run within 21 days of the Melbourne Cup.

“We’re still a fair way from a race run in the country being an exempt race for the Cup,” Earls said today, referring to the Geelong Cup.

He said Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Flemington all had exempt-free races and the VRC felt unless it was a really big race, horses would have to earn their way into the field.

“If you are one of those country Cup winners you’ll make the field if you are good enough, it’s as simple as that,” Earls said.

“You will have to earn your way into the field,” he added.

Racing Victoria’s Greg Carpenter this morning told Racing Network he had recommended the Geelong Cup and Moonee Valley Cup as exempt-free races, but the VRC had decided to ignore that recommendation.

“We felt that for a progressive young stayer down in the weights it was unlikely they would be getting a run, much less winning the races now exempt,” he explained.