Trainer Frank Ritchie would like to see more 3200-metre races in New Zealand - and it's not just because his New Zealand Cup winner Showcause is best suited to the extreme distance."I think it's sad to see the two mile races going," Ritchie said after Saturday's Riccarton win in reference to the NZ Cup and Auckland Cup being the only two Group 3200-metre races left on the racing calendar.The Wellington Cup was reduced to 2400 metres nearly three years ago, something Ritchie says is worthy of a r

Trainer Frank Ritchie would like to see more 3200-metre races in New Zealand - and it's not just because his New Zealand Cup winner Showcause is best suited to the extreme distance.

"I think it's sad to see the two mile races going," Ritchie said after Saturday's Riccarton win in reference to the NZ Cup and Auckland Cup being the only two Group 3200-metre races left on the racing calendar.

The Wellington Cup was reduced to 2400 metres nearly three years ago, something Ritchie says is worthy of a rethink.

"The motivation in reducing the distance is to get better fields, but I don't think there is evidence to suggest that they do."

The 3200-metre races attract betting interest because they include a number of horses that can run 2400 metres well, but there is a question mark whether they will last the 3200 metres, Ritchie says.

"That helps make it a spectacle, but people will say I'm old and a traditionalist and that's true too."

Ritchie will now aim Showcause at the Auckland Cup at Ellerslie on March 9, ironically the only 3200-metre Group One race left in a country renowned for breeding stayers.

It is a $1 million race, but the purse is in jeopardy after next year's event, as the deal between the Government and the racing industry for million dollar races runs out at the end of the season, on July 31.

"Now that he has won the New Zealand Cup we will obviously target the Auckland Cup and try not to overtax him between then and now," Ritchie said. The Group Two $100,000 Waikato Gold Cup on Te Rapa on December 11 could be his next target if he recovers well from the Cup.

Ritchie thinks the Melbourne Cup is too classy an affair for Showcause.

"I honestly think Melbourne Cup is too hard a race for anything that raced yesterday. It's now a true international race."

An Adelaide or Sydney Cup could be in Showcause's sights, but Ritchie says he hasn't looked beyond the Auckland Cup.

There was plenty of significance in the win, the first at 3200 metres for Ritchie, famed for training the great weight-for-age galloper Bonecrusher.

Showcause is by Giant's Causeway out of Showella, whom Ritchie trained to win six races, including the South Australian Derby, and more than $500,000 in stakemoney.

Showella's grand-dam was the mighty South Island mare Show Gate.

Shaune Ritchie was successful in last year's NZ Cup, winning with My Scotsgrey.

Showcause was ridden by Darryl Bradley, who won the NZ Cup in 1998 with Sapio.