Australia's greatest trainer of stayers has lamented the lack of staying races in Australia.Bart Cummings claimed his 12th Melbourne Cup on Tuesday with Viewed but said it was becoming increasingly difficult to find the right lead-up races to the 3200m feature."Years ago there was a rule in racing that Victoria had to have a mile-and-half (2400m) race every Saturday," Cummings said."New South Wales made it a mile-and-a-quarter (2000m)."Then they built the Kensington track at Randwick and you can
Australia's greatest trainer of stayers has lamented the lack of staying races in Australia.
Bart Cummings claimed his 12th Melbourne Cup on Tuesday with Viewed but said it was becoming increasingly difficult to find the right lead-up races to the 3200m feature.
"Years ago there was a rule in racing that Victoria had to have a mile-and-half (2400m) race every Saturday," Cummings said.
"New South Wales made it a mile-and-a-quarter (2000m).
"Then they built the Kensington track at Randwick and you can't even have those."
The Melbourne Cup and the Sydney Cup are the only Group One races left in Australia run over 3200 metres with the Brisbane Cup, which Viewed won earlier this year, reduced to 2400 and downgraded to Group Two.
Cummings said the trend towards sprint racing was doomed.
"When I started you could count the number of five furlong (1000m) races on one hand," he said.
"Now we are following America and we'll get nowhere doing that."
In Europe there are flat races beyond 3200 metres and plenty of opportunity for their stayers to get the necessary miles in their legs.
It didn't work this year but Cummings has no doubts they will be back again and he will be prepared.
"I'm looking ahead to next year," he said.
"I get a kick out of it."