All too easy for Australia© Photo Healy Racing
All politics is local and although racing politics generally manages to maintain a big-picture consensus when it comes to big-issues such as doping, that ‘friends-together’ veneer still can’t disguise how so much still comes down to what’s on the local ground: a blunt reminder of that reality could be heading for the top echelons of European racing over the potentially divisive issue of the Irish Derby and it’s slipping international prestige.
Because slipping it is: coronations of an outstanding individual talent are one thing. But once ground conditions ruled out Kingston Hill, this year’s race reached near-farcical levels. When the country’s most valuable contest, a Group 1 highlight, turns into a glorified home gallop, then it’s impossible to argue the Derby’s reputation isn’t damaged.
Bitching about Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore’s dominance is futile. What are they supposed to do – not run? Turn the Derby into some restricted contest for second-raters? But the general feeling appears to be something-has-to-done, usually a dangerously vague generalisation from those with little or no idea what precisely can be done, which is where the politics comes in.
Those nostalgic for the days of when the English and French Derby winners had a decider on the Curragh ignore how those days were comparatively rare. In fact much more common was a straightforward waltz for short-priced favourite, the difference being that at least a semblance of competition was presented on the day. That was a semblance that simply didn’t exist on Saturday.
The reality is that the nature of the European classic campaign as it currently stands means it is inevitable that a similarly uncompetitive Derby dominated by a single outstanding individual will occur sooner or later. The Grand Prix de Paris three weeks later provides a perfect Group 1 alternative for connections of horses not prepared to settle for a mere ‘taking-part’ role at the Curragh.
Some remedial moves to try and rejuvenate the Derby are possible though and appear to boil down to either persuading the French to move the Prix Du Jockey Club back up to a mile and a half, and presumably fiddling about with the Grand Prix de Paris distance too, or moving the Irish Derby back a week, something that might have allowed the impressive King Edward VII Stakes winner Eagle Top take his chance last weekend.
HRI’s chief executive Brian Kavanagh has already outlined his belief that his counterparts in Britain and France, and on the European Pattern Committee, have to give consideration to how a Derby is a country’s signature event, and presumably show a little give in terms of this Irish problem.
However one can imagine any future meetings on the subject being delicate. The problems are obvious. Insisting the French do anything they don’t want to do will result in little more than expressive Gallic shrugs. And their system seems to be paddling along nicely as it is, so why would they change?
Moving the Irish Derby back a week helps in terms of possibly attracting Royal Ascot horses but lands square on top of the Eclipse, something which, for instance, would have ruled out Sea The Stars missing the Curragh in 2009 because of the ground and having an alternative a week later.
The bruised international feelings over the realigning of the Champions Day at Ascot and its presumed impact on the Arc, not to mention the indignation that resulted from Ireland’s new ‘Champions Weekend’ and a clash with the Doncaster Leger, indicates that behind the official Euro bonhomie there remains plenty old-fashioned looking after the home-patch instincts.
However it could be that a disinclination to take in the big picture is just what the Irish Derby needs now in terms of having its corner fought for. If moving it by a week, or even more, opens up at least the possibility of a more competitive showpiece for Irish racing, then it is surely worth scrapping for. And a scrap might just be what it takes.
A couple of other points emerged from the Derby, one being that a near-24,000 crowd indicates once again that what happens out on the track – or doesn’t as the case may be – has little impact on the attendance. Would any extra have come if Kingston Hill had run – probably not.
Australia was undoubtedly the best horse at the Curragh on Saturday but perhaps the most important was Kingston Hill. Once he was scratched, all competitive interest faded. But in the overall sense Roger Varian’s decision was hardly too onerous given he has the alternative of the Grand Prix de Paris in just over a fortnight. And how worrying is it for the Derby that the Jockey Club winner The Grey Gatsby will get his chance at a mile and a half in that same race. Is it actually the Grand Prix rather than the Jockey Club that is the real problem for the Curragh?
The BHA has got into line with the Turf Club in announcing a new drug-testing regime that will begin in 2015. The date provides a definitive start up point for a brave new anti-doping world and allows all the protocols to be firmly in place by the new year. All very neat indeed, although a sceptic might wonder if the six month hiatus until the new regime starts simply just allows time for systems of every sort to wash themselves out.
