Perth Cup and WA Oaks distances unchanged

Tom Walter - Wednesday July 26

The newly formed Western Australian Pattern Committee has decided that the Group II Perth Cup and Group III WA Oaks will remain at 2400m.

Advertisement

Distance changes had been mooted for both races, specifically, the Perth Cup back to its original 3200m journey and the WA Oaks to be reduced to 2200m.

But at the inaugural meeting of the WAPC on Tuesday, which involved participants from all corners of the industry, it was concluded that the races stay at 2400m.

The Perth Cup, one of Western Australia's oldest races, was cut to 2400m in 2009 after being held over two miles for more than 120 years.

"The TABtouch-Perth Cup is Western Australia's most iconic thoroughbred race so, naturally, there's been considerable public interest in Perth Racing, through RWWA, asking the industry for its views about the event's distance," Professor John Yovich AM, managing director of Perth Racing, said.

"Perth Racing's position throughout the consultation process was that there had to be widespread industry support for the TABtouch-Perth Cup to revert to 3200m.

"That level of support wasn't there and that's why the WAPC, on which Perth Racing sits, resolved to keep the race at 2400m.

"Similarly, the WAPC felt there was insufficient support to warrant any amendments to the fillies' program for the coming season, although the distances of the Kirin Megumi-WA Oaks and its supporting races in the autumn months are something it will review on an ongoing basis."

The Perth Cup will have one change however, with the $500,000 event reverting to the New Year's Day slot.

"There'll be no better place to be on Monday 1 January 2018 than Ascot Racecourse watching the 132nd TABtouch-Perth Cup," Yovich said.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.
Transatlantic Takes $1million Five Diamonds Prelude
Transatlantic’s lucrative spring carnival continued at Randwick with an arrogant victory in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude.
Wootton Bassett Colt Leads Coolmore G1 Trifecta
The last British Group I race of the flat season was run overnight at Doncaster with Aidan O’Brien producing a trifecta of two year-old colts led by a son of the late Wootton Bassett (GB) in Hawk Mountain, who was too good for a pair of Frankel colts.
Undefeated 3YO King of Light Wins Listed Belgravia
Dan Morton's exciting three year old King Of Light (Earthlight) remains unbeaten in three starts, as the gelding graduated to stakes company with a scintillating first up victory in the Listed Belgravia Stakes on Cox Plate Day at Ascot.
Sale Cup Winner Adds to Fastnet Rock Super Weekend
It’s been quite the weekend for the late great champion sire Fastnet Rock with a Cox Plate quinella on Saturday and then on Sunday he produced a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding El Rocko captured the $200,000 Listed Sale Cup (1600m).
Cream Rises at Trentham
A half-sister by Hello Youmzain (Fr) to dual Group I winner Mustang Valley, exciting filly Cream Tart is set to line up in one of the major three-year-old races over New Zealand Cup Week following her impressive win in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old (1400m) at Trentham.
Pedigree Watch - Powerhouse Godolphin 3YOs Dominate
The current crop of three year-olds running for Godolphin lay claim to being the best they have ever produced in Australia and three of those colts won Group races in Australia on Saturday so let’s take a look at those pedigrees.
Early Return Home for Cogburn
Group I winning Not This Time son Cogburn (USA) will return to WinStar Farm in Kentucky earlier than planned after disappointing fertility results during his first Australian covering season at Widden Stud.