Flemington to show off young stayers in Show week

We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.

Advertisement

This was published 7 years ago

Flemington to show off young stayers in Show week

By Patrick Bartley
Updated

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.

Accident in the jockeys' room: leading apprentice Brandon Stockdale.

Accident in the jockeys' room: leading apprentice Brandon Stockdale.Credit: Vince Caligiuri

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.

Advertisement

The vast carparks at Flemington are used day and night during the Show and it will also mean that Show trains on the Wednesday will continue on to Flemington, just 300 metres up the line.

Meanwhile, apprentice Brandon Stockdale was taken to hospital after an accident at Sandown on Wednesday.

He suffered a scalded arm when he spilled boiling water in the jockeys' room and was treated on-course before being transported to hospital in considerable pain.

Stockdale, who had a head cold, was offered the bucket of boiling water as a way to relieve congestion after riding Can Star into eighth place in the Clanbrooke Racing Handicap.

He was forced to forego five rides.

Most Viewed in Sport

Loading