Flemington to show off young stayers in Show week

The VRC will race at Flemington during Royal Melbourne Show week for the first time in a bid to showcase racing to a new audience.

The meeting - on Wednesday, September 27 - will feature two new staying events for three-year-olds with the two winners being ballot-free for this year's VRC Oaks and Victoria Derby.

VRC officials have not gone up against their neighbour, the Royal Melbourne Show, for more than a century with the Showgrounds using the carpark facilities at the home of the Melbourne Cup.

However, VRC general manager of racing Martin Talty believes it's time that hundreds of thousands of Show visitors see what goes on at the famous racecourse.

"For too long now people have looked in and seen the 'house-closed' sign, so this time those coming to the Show have the opportunity to view a race meeting as well as the usual entertainment facets of the show," Talty said.

At the same time, the club's determination to build the staying stocks of young horses in Victoria will continue with the running of the Derby Trial Stakes and the Oaks Trial Stakes at the September 27 meeting.

"I think it's a perfect mix," Talty said. "We've campaigned long and hard to promote distance racing in Victoria and this is a perfect opportunity to put on display at Flemington two young staying races.

"The bonus for those winners is they're able to walk straight into two group 1 Classic races during the most important four days of racing in Australia."

Talty admitted that racing officials had been lobbied by Melbourne trainers to have more staying races in Victoria and he believes his club is answering that call.