Caulfield Cup conditions tweaked to tilt balance back towards locals

The Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) has come to the aid of local stayers by announcing amendments to the conditions for this spring’s Caulfield Cup, including the return of the Coongy Handicap as a last-stop entry into the club’s richest race.

The MRC announced on Monday that, in an attempt to correct an imbalance in favour of overseas horses, the number of international ballot-free races into the Cup would be reduced from 18 to nine, while locally it would rise from eight to nine with the reinstatement of the Coongy.

The Coongy Handicap had until 1996 provided an opportunity for a last-gasp attempt at gaining a Cup berth three days later, and MRC chief executive Josh Blanksby said the club was keen to revisit the excitement such a race can provide.

"We believe we have struck the right balance of win-and-in races from the domestic and international markets, and we’re particularly excited about returning the Coongy to its historic position on what is now Catanach’s Jewellers Blue Sapphire day," said Blanksby.

"This will not only add extra spice to that particular meeting but, importantly, provide local connections with another opportunity to gain a start in our great, prestigious race."

The Coongy completes a schedule of nine local guaranteed-entry races:

1. Mornington Cup
2. VRC Makybe Diva Stakes
3. MVRC Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes
4. MRC Foundation Cup (Naturalism Stakes)
5. Underwood Stakes
6. VRC Turnbull Stakes
7. Caulfield Stakes
8. Herbert Power Stakes
9. Coongy Handicap

A statement from the MRC on Monday morning outlined other changes to Caulfield Cup conditions.

"In line with the MRC’s quest to generate increased participation in the club’s flagship event from abroad in recent years, an expansive list of races run internationally that would grant winners guaranteed entry into the Caulfield Cup was devised," it read.

"While the practical impact of these guarantees is/was negligible as opposed to their impact in publicity and international relations, the club has recognised that the balance of these ballot-exempting races had erred too heavily in favour of the international market: 18 were run internationally, against eight domestically.

The Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot will still act as a guaranteed-entry race for the Caulfield CupCredit: Bryn Lennon

"Accordingly, the list of international guaranteed-entry races has halved, from 18 to nine, with those considered most relevant to the Caulfield Cup, as follows, retained."

1. Nikkei Shin Hun Hai (Japan)
2. Kyoto Kinen (Japan)
3. Sheema Classic (UAE)
4. Jockey Club Stakes (UK)
5. Champions and Chater Cup (Hong Kong)
6. Meguro Kinen (Japan)
7. Grand Prix de Chantilly (France)
8. Hardwicke Stakes (UK)
9. Princess of Wales’s Stakes (UK)

The MRC statement continued: "The second elimination clause of the Caulfield Cup currently eliminates entrants in order of their allocated weight below the benchmark for their age and sex, then by peak international rating of the preceding 12 months."

"To avert a deadlock of horses in the order of elimination following the application of these clauses, a further condition has been added, pertaining to aggregate prize-money received in historical performances in certain categories of races.

"A historic clause of the Caulfield Cup demands that winners of any handicap Flat race run over a distance of 1,600 metres [one mile] or further of the advertised value of AUS$60,000 or over to the winner, after the release of weights, can be re-handicapped.

"This clause is now considered redundant and has been deleted from the conditions."

Blanksby heralded the changes as exciting improvements to the club’s most famous race.

"As we periodically do with all of our races as a matter of course, we examined the incumbent conditions of the Stella Artois Caulfield Cup with a view to improving and modernising the race, which we strongly believe we have achieved through these changes."

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