Racing: Monday gallops a sure bet

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Monday gallops racing is set to become a reality after New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) gained the backing of its rival codes for a major change to its calendar.

Thoroughbred racing will be held from Monday to Saturday under the changes, which are expected to take effect from March. There will be Sunday racing from November through to March of each season.

Changes are also being made to race programming, handicapping and prizemoney allocation.

NZTR chairman Matthew Goodson said the New Zealand Racing board and the harness and greyhound codes had given their blessing to the calendar and funding changes.

"This is an important step towards relieving financial pressure and providing the returns our world-class thoroughbred industry merits.

"Much remains to be done but this agreement is an excellent example of the racing codes working together for the greater good of the whole industry," he said.

NZTR will run more meetings with the same number of races under the proposal. There will also be changes to domestic harness racing, with fewer Tuesday meetings and more racing on Sundays. The greyhound racing calendar is not affected.

To assist and provide certainty of funding, the industry's distribution model has been amended, with fixed proportional payments to each code. The proportional payments have been agreed to by each code.

The final payments to each code are $69.475 million to NZTR, $37.816 million to Harness Racing NZ and $19.346 million to Greyhound Racing NZ. That is subject to the NZRB confirming its final profit forecast for 2011/12 of $135 million.

Of more immediate interest, British trainer Richard Hannon has unveiled his Goodwood team - together with a veiled concern over Canford Cliffs' liking for an undulating course.

Just over a week ahead of the "Duel On The Downs" in which Canford Cliffs is to clash with Frankel in the Sussex Stakes, Hannon put forward a cautionary view of his 4-year-old's record when racing downhill.

Recalling last year's 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes, Hannon said yesterday: "It will be interesting to see what turns up at the five-day stage. I would like a good gallop with the other horse [Frankel] leaving the gate as fast as possible. Then it won't matter.

"I am just a bit worried about that dip down the hill coming into the straight. He didn't like it too much last year. He didn't seem to like it in the Guineas either."

Partnered by Richard Hughes, Canford Cliffs looked in tremendous order in a solo spin up the Herridge all-weather yesterday, while Frankel went through his paces in Newmarket under Tom Queally, finishing well clear of Bullet Train.

- NZPA and AP