Punt Drunk: Are we entering a golden era for Australian racing?
We are only four days into February, and already a lot has happened in the racing world. Racing New South Wales began the next chapter of their cat-and-mouse games on Friday morning, hinting at even more prizemoney increases, while a rare dead-heat took place at Wolverhampton on Tuesday. Plus, the Punt Drunk team looks towards the autumn and what could be one of Australia’s greatest racing carnivals to date.
BILLIONS AND BILLIONS
We all know what Peter V’landys has done for the sport since his time at the helm of Racing NSW, so big prizemoney increases are really just the norm now. Since PVL has been in charge, events like The Everest, the Golden Eagle, and the ever-popular Benchmark 72 Midway Handicaps have been introduced to the racing calendar, but on Friday morning it was announced that we can expect a big announcement in the coming days. Like any good fisherman would tell you, it’s always a good idea to throw out a bit of berley in a bid to get a few bites, and a number of journalists have snapped it up. While we don’t know yet what the announcement will be, the whispers are all to do with more prizemoney increases. How about a new Rosehill track?
Racing NSW has scheduled major industry announcement next Wednesday. Details scarce but speculation of prizemoney increases
— Ray Thomas (@RayThomas_1) February 3, 2022
EVERYONE’S A WINNER
In race seven at Wolverhampton in the UK on February 1, two horses contested a 3YO Class 4 Handicap over 1739m. As unbelievable as it is, at the end of the race, the judge couldn’t split the pair, with both Havana Goldrush and Golden Sands being awarded the winning prize in what can only be described as an incredible dead-heat. The two horses settled down next to one another for the entire journey, and even though the outsider of the duo, Havana Goldrush, got the upper hand in the concluding stages, the long odds-on favourite, Golden Sands, fought back to share in the spoils. We’ve never seen anything like it – everyone’s a winner!
GOLDEN ERA FOR AUSTRALIAN RACING?
We all said when Makybe Diva retired we wouldn’t see anything like it again, but then Black Caviar came along to win her 25 races from as many starts. If that wasn’t enough, just a few years later we were graced with another queen of the turf in Winx. At the time of Winx’s retirement, the future looked grim for Australian racing; there weren’t any standouts on the track, and horses like Avilius, who we expected to take over as Australia’s best racehorse, just didn’t fire in the spring of 2019. But not even three years since the four-time Cox Plate hero retired, we could be in for one of the most competitive and exciting autumns in a very long time.
Fresh off her Melbourne Cup success, 10-time Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant looks ready to go again, with clashes set up against the likes of Zaaki and I’m Thunderstruck. The three-year-olds are an exciting bunch – especially the colts. Hitotsu, Profondo and Anamoe all look to be stars in their own right, but the thought of having them take each other on all carnival in the Randwick Guineas, Rosehill Guineas, Australian Derby and maybe even the Queen Elizabeth Stakes is simply mouth-watering. Throw into the mix the likes of the boom horses Marabi and Espiona – what heights can they get to this autumn? On top of all of that, how could we forget the two-year-olds? Coolangatta has already stamped herself as the best two-year-old in the country after taking out the Magic Millions 2YO Classic last month and looks to have one hoof on the Golden Slipper trophy, but Sejardan could have something to say about that should he remain undefeated in Saturday’s $2 million Inglis Millennium. Our sprinting stocks are as strong as ever – Nature Strip, Home Affairs, Masked Crusader and the forever-young Eduardo.
We could go on all day – we won’t, but we could. The fact is, even without a clear standout superstar of the Australian turf, we’re in for one of the most enthralling autumn carnivals in the modern era. We can’t wait!
Melbourne Cup queen heading to @paris_longchamp! Verry Elleegant is to be aimed at the 2022 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 🇦🇺 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/QjKlLgUY4N
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) February 1, 2022
About Punt Drunk
Welcome to Punt Drunk – our daily column covering all the latest horse racing and punting controversies, dramas and headline news. Have a story or gripe or issue that just grinds your gears? Just hit us up in the comments or contact us page and our jaded, punt hardened Punt Drunk staff will give it the Punt Drunk treatment it deserves. Don’t expect pleasantries or typical racing media fanboy gloss from Punt Drunk – we’re on the punt and we don’t have time to bullshit; the next is about to jump…
