When the Melbourne Racing Club announced in July that it would partner with The Everest slotholder the Australian Turf Club to offer the winner of its G2 Schillaci S. a 'golden ticket' into the $14 million sprint at Randwick the following week, it marked the most significant thaw in the relationship between Australia's two biggest racing jurisdictions in recent years.
The evolution of The Everest and the extended carnival that has sprung up around it in the Sydney spring has caused frosty relations between New South Wales and Victoria as the traditional calendar of the Melbourne spring carnival was challenged.
At its worst it degenerated into name-calling, with the threat posed by Racing NSW's ambitious plans, spearheaded by chief executive Peter V'landys, causing a serious sense of nervousness in Melbourne, in particular Flemington, whose iconic four-day carnival was no longer given the clear air it felt it had earned over a near 160-year history.
In 2017, Melbourne Racing Club's Caulfield Cup carnival was supposed to be the first casualty of the interstate war, with the world's richest race on turf staged on the same day as the MRC's Caulfield Guineas Day.
Peter V'landys
But while there were some initial rumblings about the disruptive influence of The Everest, the MRC largely bit its tongue, and waited to see what impact it would have.
"When The Everest concept was first conjured and clashed with Caulfield Guineas day in 2017, rather than take the sceptical and combative approach to it, in how it may or may not cannibalise our event and wagering activity, we decided to just see how it goes," the MRC's Executive Director - Racing and Membership, Jake Norton said.
"Over the last couple of years on Caulfield Guineas day, we saw growth in crowds and really strong growth in wagering. We probably may have missed out on having all the best jockeys at Caulfield and maybe missed out on some column inches, but the other indicators were very strong."
"On Caulfield Guineas day, we saw growth in crowds and really strong growth in wagering." - Jake Norton
The 2019 edition of The Everest always loomed as a slightly different case, with the New South Wales racing calendar sliding back a week, meaning that the race will clash with Caulfield's showpiece event, the G1 Caulfield Cup.
Can't beat 'em, join 'em
But to the MRC's credit rather than actively campaign for the supremacy of one product over another, it sensed an opportunity to link the two carnivals together. When an Everest slot was made available after slotholder Damion Flower was arrested on serious drug charges, the wheels were put in motion.
"It was a very informal discussion that transpired among a couple of us, when it was revealed that there would be a slot available. It quickly gathered momentum, because the deadline from when it was announced to when Racing NSW wanted the submission, it was a short time frame," Norton said.
"We sought approval from our board to proceed and quickly mobilised when we had that approval and put together a submission."
"We thought, let's extend an olive branch, albeit with a commercial transaction involved."
The MRC was ultimately unsuccessful in that process, with global racing behemoth Godolphin getting the nod, but so impressed was Racing NSW by the nature of the MRC's proposal, that a short time later a deal was done utilising the ATC's slot.
"Part of our submission was a commitment to promoting the Schillaci S. and The Everest and the series leading up to it to have a campaign with some longevity," Norton said.
"I think they liked that, to get that support from the industry south of the Murray, and they saw it as beneficial."
Win and you're in
The upshot of the deal, arguably the most innovative, and undoubtedly the most surprising in the short history of deals involving The Everest, was that the G2 Schillaci S. the feature sprint on the first day of the Caulfield Cup carnival, would now become a direct qualifier for The Everest seven days later, with the winner to compete in Australia's richest race under the MRC/ATC's slot.
Norton admits the MRC didn’t know how the deal would be received, particularly in Victoria, where significant bad blood had flowed after Racing NSW's spring renovation
Jake Norton (left) admits the MRC didn’t know how the deal would be received
"We weren't really sure what to expect what the response would be in terms of the public and the industry, but I can say we have been pleasantly surprised by the way our involvement in The Everest has been received," he said.
The MRC has also tied another couple of aspects into the concept, with a qualifying series for the Schillaci S. contested across three race meetings ahead of the October 12 feature. The first two legs, the Listed Regal Roller S. won by Begood Toya Mother (Myboycharlie {Ire}) and the G3 The Heath, won by Crystal Dreamer (Stratum), have already been run.
Begood Toya Mother won the Listed Regal Roller S. qualifying for the Schillaci S.
There is also a Members' Sweepstakes, which will see each runner in the Schillaci S., represent a random club member. The winning member will then get a shot of up to $250,000 in prizemoney should their horse go on and win The Everest.
It's an innovative approach to both member engagement and acquisition and something which the MRC prides itself on.
"Calling yourself innovative and progressive, there is not much value in doing that. Actions speak louder than words." - Jake Norton
"We are probably philosophically a bit different to a few other organisations. Calling yourself innovative and progressive, there is not much value in doing that. Actions speak louder than words. And thankfully, that is the way this concept has been received," Norton said.
Determining success
The level of member engagement and acquisition is one of the many measures by which the MRC will determine the success or otherwise of the concept.
Other measures by which the MRC will determine the success or otherwise of the concept include the quality of field the Schillaci S. attracts, the quality of the lead-in series races and the general public interest in the race and the concept.
There are a few aspects the MRC can't control, such as how many slots are available elsewhere when the race is run and whether the winning connections of the race will want to back up their horse within seven days (in that case the slot will be offered to the second horse and so on).
The best-case scenario is of course the Schillaci S. winner goes on and wins The Everest.
Crystal Dreamer won the G3 The Heath qualifying for the Schillaci S.
"If whoever represents the MRC slot can win or run a place, that would be enormous. That has the flow-on implications around this members' concept that we have got going, That's the ultimate," Norton said.
"If we do have a significantly stronger Schillaci, that is obviously a big tick. If we can recoup our investment from a prizemoney perspective in The Everest, that would be great."
"But there is more intangible stuff around member engagement, whether we can drive some member acquisition through this, drive attendance, there's really all manner of different measures of success that we will be looking at."
"But the dream result would be to get The Everest winner."
Where To Now for The Everest Runners
Redzel (Yulong Investments): G3 Concorde S. (1000m) - Randwick - September 7
Pierata (Aquis): G3 Concorde S. (1000m) - Randwick - September 7
Classique Legend (Bon Ho, Carmel Size): The G2 Shorts - 1100m - Randwick - September 21
In Her Time (Inglis): The G2 Shorts - 1100m - Randwick - September 21
Arcadia Queen (The Star): G2 Theo Marks S. (1300m) or G2 Sheraco S. (1200m) - Rosehill - September 14 or The G2 Shorts - 1100m - Randwick - September 21
Enticing Star (Chris Waller Racing): G2 Theo Marks S. (1300m) or G2 Sheraco S. (1200m) - Rosehill - September 14 or The G2 Shorts - 1100m - Randwick - September 21
Santa Ana Lane (TAB): The G2 Shorts - 1100m - Randwick - September 21
Sunlight (Max Whitby Syndicate): G3 Concorde S. (1000m) - Randwick - September 7
Slots to be filled: Coolmore, Godolphin, James Harron Bloodstock, ATC/MRC
