Familiar plaint from across the Tasman

Press, 29 November 1978, Page 20

Familiar plaint from across the Tasman

“Our rich races for sta'yers. particularly the Melbourne Cup. boost the New Zealand economy at the expense of our racing industry.” ■ So wrote Bert Lillye in the Sydney Morning Herald after the Victoria Racing Club’s carnhal earlier this month. Such a plaint has sounded forth year in and year out for some time now. The only thing new about it was an update on the statistics. And, as always, they make good reading for champions of the New Zealand thoroughbred. But nothing in them to comfort the officials and members of the Australian Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association. New Zealand bred stayers

have won 17 of the last 25 Melbourne Cups, and have gained 40 minor placings. reaping $1.444.601 of the $2,016,500 distributed in prize money. Of the $1,444,600 won by the New Zealand horses $634,440 went to New Zea land owners. And, as the meticulous Bert Lillye reports, that does not include the 1965 prize won by Light Fingers, which was raced on lease from her New Zealand breeder. Mr Fred Dawson. “As a result of this domi nation the New Zealand breeding industry also reaps a heavy harvest from Aus ! tralians spending at the New Zealand yearling sales,” Lil lye writes. Lillye was attacking criti ! cism of the Sydney Tur! i Club's decision to raise the

stake for the Golden Slippn Stakes for two-year-olds ic $250,000 next year. "If nothing else the Gold en Slipper prize stays t Australia and acts as i boost to local breeding,” hi wrote. Lillye said he was a* tounded by the criticism \ a spring board to stud sue cess, he argues, the Slipper which began in 1957, hat fared manifestly better that the Melbourne Cup over :lu .same period. ’ Todman, Sky High. Pagi Pago. Vain, and Baguetu had left their mark already on the stallion roster, morl so than Silver Knight am Rain Lover, two of the fev Melbourne Cup winner: since 1957 which were en> tries at the time of theif triumphs.