ARF international circuit is strong and about to get stronger

12 November 2008

The Asian Racing Federation international circuit is ready to emerge from the setbacks of Equine Influenza (EI) in 2007 and capitalize on the hard yards gained the previous three seasons, the 32^nd Asian Racing Conference was told today.

Mr William A. Nader, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Executive Director of Racing, told delegates in Tokyo this morning that more stringent quarantine protocols -put in place as governments of different countries reacted to EI when it broke out in August 2007  were still proving limiting to the international movement of healthy horses for competition.

But Mr Nader expressed a strong spirit of hope that some normality may resume soon, especially in the worst-hit countries of Australia and Japan.

"The outbreaks of EI in these two countries led to significant quarantine restrictions on the movement of horses, not only between these two countries but to and from these countries to other countries in the ARF," Mr Nader explained.

"We also have a whole number of different quarantine protocols across most countries in the Federation, and the more stringent conditions applying to horses moving in and out of Australia has had an impact on the international circuit," he added.

Mr Nader said that the two major pieces of development on the international circuit -the Global Sprint Challenge and the Asian Mile Challenge -had been very successful in delivering an enhanced level of international competition.

"The first two winners of the Global Sprint Challenge, Hong Kong's Cape of Good Hope and Australia's Takeover Target, had contributed enormously to the profile of the sport," Mr Nader said. "And of course, the following year, we had Australia's super sprinting filly Miss Andretti travelling to Ascot and winning the King's Stand Stakes."  International racing, he said, "touches on the heart and soul of what the Asian Racing Federation is about".

The bonuses for the Global Sprint Challenge and Asian Mile Challenge have been amended for 2009. For the Global Sprint Challenge, the bonus is US$1 million to the winner of any three G1 series races achieved in three different countries, with the owner getting 75 per cent of the available prize and the trainer 25 per cent.

"Obviously we want to motivate the decision makers to go for the sky and reach for the stars," Mr Nader summed up.

For a horse that could win three legs of the Asian Mile Challenge, the bonus next year would be US$2 million --- US$1.5 million for the owner and US$500,000 for the trainer. The bonus for winning two legs is US$1 million, paid out on a similar 75-25 split.

There is no immediate sign of the Asian Mile Challenge being expanded beyond its present four-race series --- the MRC Futurity Stakes in Melbourne, the Dubai Duty Free on Dubai World Cup night, the Champions Mile in Hong Kong and the Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo.  "It's quality with no compromise," the director added.

The prizemoney offered by the Dubai Duty Free ($US5 million) attracted 32 of the 55 international starters in the Asian Mile Challenge to date, which Mr Nader underlined that "great races can stand on their merit without the bonuses, however we still believe they are very worthwhile."

Mr Nigel Gray, the Jockey Club's Head of handicapping and Race Planning, gave the conference an outline of the history of international ratings, from humble origins in England in the late 1970's to the comprehensive World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings that exist today.

Mr Gray, who doubles as co-chairman of the handicappers of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, said the rankings had a number of roles.

"They still act as the foundation for the assessment of the quality of Group/Graded races but they are also used as a guide in the compilation of international handicaps and as the starting point for selection of horse for some of the world's major races," Mr Gray said.