Twenty20 Racing
November 22nd 2008 05:55
Racing Victoria Limited has released its long awaited 2020 business plan - which suggests several innovations to reinvigorate the racing product, much in the same way that Twenty20 cricket has stimulated that sport.
(photo: The Age archives)
One aspect they have not considered - and this is obvious in the cricket example and paradigm - is to reduce the duration of a raceday and have shorter breaks between races. This would be more important outside of Melbourne Spring Carnival time where (and when) the vast crowd numbers make movement difficult. But throughout the rest of the year there should be no more than half an hour between races. Yes, logistically it is a challenge, but the hive of activity may even entice people back to the racetrack. The entertainment is the races - all the rest is padding and superfluous.
A nighttime Cox Plate has a few problems - but probably more benefits. The free to air television coverage may cause a problem for a few network heads - but Saturday night television is a wasteland of repeat programming of movies already seen on dvd or cable - why not test the market with an evening of feature racing? And of course it would fit in perfectly with the Asian timezone which is a market RVL is keen to capture. The Australian Tennis Open went to night finals for the men’s (and later the) women’s event and this is now a feature of Saturday and Sunday night commercial television. Of course it was in part to be more viewer friendly to the northern hemisphere - but it was an innovation that works on several levels. The advent of night racing at Moonee Valley was a first step taken in this direction many seasons ago - but the mediocre programming full of maiden, restricted, and mind-numbing 3000m races is less than satisfactory. Feature races run at night are a far different proposition.
I like the concept of ‘match' or 'invitational' races. But I would like to take the concept one step further - and add a third horse to each race. Match races are historically the device used to separate two champions from an era - to race head to head without any interference from another horse. But they can be a bit boring or predictable with cat and mouse tactics where nothing changes until the very end. It can be similar to watching trackwork. So how about a series of races to be held over 1200m; 1600m and 2000m - consisting of three of the best horses in each distance range - competing head to head to head.
And as with the Cartier Racing Awards for Europe there could be a consumer (horse enthusiast) component with a 20% to 50% weighting given to the voting from the public (from a list of say six nominated horses). When the race eventuated the public would already have an emotional investment in the race.
For instance, the 1200m race might have: Takeover Target; Apache Cat and Weekend Hussler, run over 1200m at Flemington. The introduction of a third horse greatly increase the spectacle - and I would believe the general interest in the race. Instead of one horse chasing another, the race would have multiple components. Perhaps Northern Meteor, Swick and Aichi could be included as possible contenders.
The 1600m race (not necessarily at Flemington - this can be shared around) may include Whobegotyou; All Silent and Weekend Hussler. It would be programmed further into the season after the milers had first raced for conditioning. And of course Light Fantastic could be an excellent first emergency - or included if it is decided not to allow horses to start in multiple events (necessitating the exclusion of Weekend Hussler). Forensics, Alamosa, Theseo and Sea Battle are others who could be in the voting mix. But I would definitely like to see Weekend Hussler pitted against the best from 1200m to 1600m.
The 2000m race (though not at Moonee Valley to clash with or rival the Cox Plate) could include Whobegotyou (though refer back to previous possibility); Maldivian and Samantha Miss. Of course El Segundo and Tuesday Joy could be among the possibilities. The interest in whether Maldivian could gain a decisive advantage that could not be overcome - and how big a start could Whobegotyou give the others? Of course another question - can one trainer (Mark Kavanagh with Maldivian and Whobegotyou) be allowed to have two runners? Others to be included could be Barbaricus, C’Est La Guerre, Princess Coup and Zipping.
There would most likely be a weighting and preference given to Group One winners of the previous season. I would believe that the Cox Plate winner would be granted an automatic start.
The Australian Thoroughbred Grand Prix is another idea worthy of innovation. And of course to have key Victorian races included in a “world super league” is very desirable in these days of international racing. Why Aidan O’Brien did not target the Cox Plate (in particular) or the Caulfield Cup is very strange. But those three iconic races of the Melbourne Spring are obvious inclusions.
The suggestion to have a racemeeting of “extreme racing” over 1000m sounds a little too one-dimensional at first blush - but it is far superior to the ‘novelty’ grey horse race held at the Flemington carnival each year. That is a strange race with little residual merit. The 'extreme racing' may be a way to conduct an even more rapid paced racemeeting with (say) seven races just 25 minutes apart, under lights at Moonee Valley. The prospect of a bonus for the fastest race would also add interest - as well as another betting option that could attract a large pool. It sounds more interesting by the minute (hopefully a little less than one minute to scarper around the Moonee Valley 1,000 metres).
People are hungry for heroes, highlights and action. And horse racing in Victoria seems poised to innovate and oblige.
even better than a dead-heat - a triple dead-heat!
(photo: The Age archives)
One aspect they have not considered - and this is obvious in the cricket example and paradigm - is to reduce the duration of a raceday and have shorter breaks between races. This would be more important outside of Melbourne Spring Carnival time where (and when) the vast crowd numbers make movement difficult. But throughout the rest of the year there should be no more than half an hour between races. Yes, logistically it is a challenge, but the hive of activity may even entice people back to the racetrack. The entertainment is the races - all the rest is padding and superfluous.
A nighttime Cox Plate has a few problems - but probably more benefits. The free to air television coverage may cause a problem for a few network heads - but Saturday night television is a wasteland of repeat programming of movies already seen on dvd or cable - why not test the market with an evening of feature racing? And of course it would fit in perfectly with the Asian timezone which is a market RVL is keen to capture. The Australian Tennis Open went to night finals for the men’s (and later the) women’s event and this is now a feature of Saturday and Sunday night commercial television. Of course it was in part to be more viewer friendly to the northern hemisphere - but it was an innovation that works on several levels. The advent of night racing at Moonee Valley was a first step taken in this direction many seasons ago - but the mediocre programming full of maiden, restricted, and mind-numbing 3000m races is less than satisfactory. Feature races run at night are a far different proposition.
I like the concept of ‘match' or 'invitational' races. But I would like to take the concept one step further - and add a third horse to each race. Match races are historically the device used to separate two champions from an era - to race head to head without any interference from another horse. But they can be a bit boring or predictable with cat and mouse tactics where nothing changes until the very end. It can be similar to watching trackwork. So how about a series of races to be held over 1200m; 1600m and 2000m - consisting of three of the best horses in each distance range - competing head to head to head.
And as with the Cartier Racing Awards for Europe there could be a consumer (horse enthusiast) component with a 20% to 50% weighting given to the voting from the public (from a list of say six nominated horses). When the race eventuated the public would already have an emotional investment in the race.
For instance, the 1200m race might have: Takeover Target; Apache Cat and Weekend Hussler, run over 1200m at Flemington. The introduction of a third horse greatly increase the spectacle - and I would believe the general interest in the race. Instead of one horse chasing another, the race would have multiple components. Perhaps Northern Meteor, Swick and Aichi could be included as possible contenders.
The 1600m race (not necessarily at Flemington - this can be shared around) may include Whobegotyou; All Silent and Weekend Hussler. It would be programmed further into the season after the milers had first raced for conditioning. And of course Light Fantastic could be an excellent first emergency - or included if it is decided not to allow horses to start in multiple events (necessitating the exclusion of Weekend Hussler). Forensics, Alamosa, Theseo and Sea Battle are others who could be in the voting mix. But I would definitely like to see Weekend Hussler pitted against the best from 1200m to 1600m.
The 2000m race (though not at Moonee Valley to clash with or rival the Cox Plate) could include Whobegotyou (though refer back to previous possibility); Maldivian and Samantha Miss. Of course El Segundo and Tuesday Joy could be among the possibilities. The interest in whether Maldivian could gain a decisive advantage that could not be overcome - and how big a start could Whobegotyou give the others? Of course another question - can one trainer (Mark Kavanagh with Maldivian and Whobegotyou) be allowed to have two runners? Others to be included could be Barbaricus, C’Est La Guerre, Princess Coup and Zipping.
There would most likely be a weighting and preference given to Group One winners of the previous season. I would believe that the Cox Plate winner would be granted an automatic start.
The Australian Thoroughbred Grand Prix is another idea worthy of innovation. And of course to have key Victorian races included in a “world super league” is very desirable in these days of international racing. Why Aidan O’Brien did not target the Cox Plate (in particular) or the Caulfield Cup is very strange. But those three iconic races of the Melbourne Spring are obvious inclusions.
The suggestion to have a racemeeting of “extreme racing” over 1000m sounds a little too one-dimensional at first blush - but it is far superior to the ‘novelty’ grey horse race held at the Flemington carnival each year. That is a strange race with little residual merit. The 'extreme racing' may be a way to conduct an even more rapid paced racemeeting with (say) seven races just 25 minutes apart, under lights at Moonee Valley. The prospect of a bonus for the fastest race would also add interest - as well as another betting option that could attract a large pool. It sounds more interesting by the minute (hopefully a little less than one minute to scarper around the Moonee Valley 1,000 metres).
People are hungry for heroes, highlights and action. And horse racing in Victoria seems poised to innovate and oblige.
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