Quote Originally Posted by eliteblood View Post
NSWHRC are putting up $500,000. They could simply invite 8 pacers to turn up on the Saturday and have a one-off event (as they have in the past) or they can try and build a carnival around the race and encourage the good class horses to race in NSW in the weeks leading up to the race (ie. promote harness racing in NSW)
As a result Sydney fans have had a chance to see Mister Feelgood, Washakie, Lisagain, Raglan, Karloo Mick, Be Good Johnny and now Terror to Love all racing to earn a spot in the MM. NSWHRC were probably unlucky that Auckland Reactor ran into problems otherwise I expect he would have also been here.
It was a very impressive win by TTL but there is no way that he would be seeded more highly at this stage of his career then Smoken Up or ITMQ. The directors made the right call and, despite the whingeing, they got the right outcome with TTL lining up in the Cordina Sprint on Friday night.
I strongly support the NSWHRC move. Basically, if you want a shot at our money then come and help promote the sport in NSW. If not, stay at home like Bitobliss and Melpark Major have.
I hope they do the same again next year when the prizemoney is set to go at $750,000. The only change I would make is that the field should be made up totally of horses that competed in the designated NSW lead up races.
Nobody has said TTL should have been invited before or seeded higher than ITMQ or SU. But the nz cup run, should have got him an invite. The NSWHRC are being bloody minded for the sake of a lead up race. And they're probably going to invite TTL regardless of where he runs on Saturday anyway.