Cover image courtesy of the Australian Turf Club
Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club (ATC) have announced that the G1 George Main S. will be replaced by the G1 King Charles III S., starting this year.
The G1 King Charles III S. is named in honour of His Majesty The King and will be run over 1600 metres under weight-for-age conditions. It will carry a prize purse of $5 million, making it the world’s richest weight for age mile event. By comparison, the 2022 G1 George Main S., which was won by Anamoe, was worth $1 million in 2022.
Randwick will host the G1 King Charles III S., which will run alongside the world’s second-richest thoroughbred race, the $20 million The Everest (which rises from $15 million). The October 14 card will feature prizemoney of nearly $35 million and includes the $2 million The Kosciuszko, the $1 million Silver Eagle, the $500,000 St Leger S. and the $250,000 G3 Angst S.
Previously, the George Main S. was held two weeks prior to the G1 Epsom H.
Meanwhile, the $10 million Golden Eagle will be run on November 4, while the G1 Spring Champion S. and The Invitation - both worth $2 million - will headline the meeting on October 28. The $750,000 G3 Craven Plate will also be run on October 28.
Rosehill Gardens will host the October 7 meeting, which is highlighted by the $2 million G2 Hill S., as well as the $1.5 million Alan Brown S. - a 1400 metre handicap. The move to Rosehill on October 7 enables a two-week break between the G1 Epsom H. and The Everest/G1 King Charles III S. race meetings.
Russell Balding
A new race - the $1 million The 7 S. - will be held at Randwick over 1600 metres under weight-for-age conditions on September 16, while the Randwick meeting on October 21 will feature the $1 million Five Diamonds Prelude and the Big Dance Wild Card.
Racing NSW Chairman Russell Balding revealed the Sydney spring carnival changes at a function at The Gherkin in London on Saturday night.
“The King Charles III Stakes creates a new level of excitement for the Sydney Everest Carnival, with a feature open-age mile race boosting an already mouth-watering Everest Day meeting,” Balding said.
“The King Charles III Stakes creates a new level of excitement for the Sydney Everest Carnival, with a feature open-age mile race boosting an already mouth-watering Everest Day meeting.” - Russell Balding
“It is also befitting of Royal Randwick to have a feature race in spring named in honour of His Majesty, to complement the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in autumn, with Royal Randwick being Australia's only Royal Racecourse.
“At $20 million of prizemoney, The TAB Everest is now the second richest race in the world and the richest race on turf.
Giga Kick, winner of The Everest in 2022 | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“This further increase in prizemoney is not only recognition of The TAB Everest as being the highest-rated race in Australia, but also of the success this event has created in flow-on benefits throughout the entire NSW thoroughbred industry for the whole of the year.
“Since its inaugural running in 2017, The TAB Everest has consistently rated as the highest or equal-highest sprint race in the world.”
Industry feedback
The prizemoney increases were lauded by many industry participants, including Steve Grant from Silverdale Farm.
“It’s a fantastic initiative, Everest Day is already fabulous,” Grant told TDN AusNZ.
“It really supports what we’re breeding, which is sprinters, and we’re the best in the world.
“It really supports what we’re breeding, which is sprinters, and we’re the best in the world.” - Steve Grant
“With the Silverdale Academy, Thoroughbred Breeders NSW and Racing NSW, I don’t think there’s ever been as many people putting effort into training future employees and spreading the word of the industry.
“People that sit back and complain about things probably should have a look at themselves and see if they’re doing as much work as people I’ve just mentioned.”
Steve Grant | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Rosehill-based trainer Will Freedman, who works in partnership with his father Richard, told TDN AusNZ the added prizemoney and spring carnival changes are great for racing in New South Wales.
“It seems like New South Wales racing has never been stronger. If you can have the stock that compete at the elite level, then you’ll race for life-changing prizemoney. That’s what we play for, so hopefully we can be a part of it,” Freedman said.
Australian Racing Hall of Fame member and veteran trainer Ron Quinton is of the opinion that New South Wales is already an industry leader when it comes to prizemoney, and instead of constantly propping up elite-level races, funds would be better spent elsewhere.
Ron Quinton | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Speaking to TDN AusNZ, Quinton said, “Some of those races are top-heavy. I know our prizemoney is the best in the world, it gives everyone a chance to get something, but how much do you want to put on these races? We’re racing for fantastic prizemoney, but is it going to make any difference to The Everest putting it up to $20 million from $15 million? It’s not going to get you any better fields or any better horses.
“It’s the same as the Golden Slipper, it doesn’t matter how much it’s worth, you’re still going to get the same horses, you’re not going to invent 10 champion horses because you’re putting the prizemoney out, that doesn’t happen.
“Generally speaking, the sprinters from overseas don’t measure up to our sprinters, so it’s all going to remain in Australia.
“Some of these races are top-heavy and some of that money could be well-spent in other areas, like stabling, for instance.”
“Some of these races are top-heavy and some of that money could be well-spent in other areas, like stabling, for instance.” - Ron Quinton
Regarding the changes to the George Main, Quinton said the race deserves to be held in high regard and is disappointed the name would no longer be carried.
“The George Main has been a great race forever, and it is worthy of very good prizemoney, there’s no question about that,” Quinton said. “The good horses win it. It’s a bit of a shame that the race will no longer be called the George Main, it’s been a traditional race for a long time.”
Hawkesbury-based trainer Garry Frazer, who won the George Main S. in 1995 with Turridu (Cenchire), also believes there is too much money being invested at the top end.
“They just keep putting money into all the good races. They’re making them ridiculously high, instead of looking after the little races,” Frazer, who also trained the Group 1-winning heroine Spright (Hinchinbrook), told TDN AusNZ.
The process of changing a Group 1
Under the guidelines of the Asian Pattern Committee, any date changes to an established Group 1 race of more than a week must be agreed upon at a national level and then ticked off by the international committee. However, given the Australian Pattern Committee hasn’t met in more than four years, Racing NSW (and other states) have forged ahead and made changes without yet being rubber-stamped.
Arrowfield Stud's Bloodstock Manager, Jon Freyer, has been a member of the Australian Pattern Advisory Group (APAG), which was formed to provide experienced guidance on request to the Australian Pattern Committee.
Jon Freyer | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Freyer explained how Racing NSW has been able to rename and change the date of the George Main S., as well as outlining why The Everest, which is widely regarded as one of the best sprint races in the world and is consistently rated the top sprint in the world, still remains without Group 1 status.
“The Everest is a slightly different story as that would need to be ratified by the Pattern Committee, this is a race that’s being renamed and the date moved,” Freyer told TDN AusNZ.
“The Everest is a slightly different story as that would need to be ratified by the Pattern Committee, this is a race that’s being renamed and the date moved.” - Jon Freyer
“Clearly it (The Everest) ought to be (a Group 1), I don’t think there’s anyone in the industry that thinks otherwise.
“We’ve had races rebranded in the past, for example, the Warwick Stakes is now the Winx Stakes.
“The Thousand Guineas has moved to the middle of November.
“When we had a functioning Pattern Committee, these things would have been discussed and kicked around. We haven’t had one for some time. There isn’t an umbrella overseeing all these things at the present time. You can only sit still for so long.
“The race clubs are trying some things and good on them for doing it. I suppose they would argue that that’s their right, to try and maximise the audience participation and the revenues from these races. What we can’t do is stand still, because if you do you go backwards.”
