Adelaide Cup Weekend - SAJC weigh in

[OnSong]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/superracing/peacock-cup-date-must-be-changed/story-fn67mcwv-1226010609342

SOUTH Australian Jockey Club chairman David Peacock says the Adelaide Cup must move back to May from 2013 - with or without the public holiday - and he will be asking his board to endorse that view.

Peacock confirmed yesterday the SAJC board would meet tomorrow night to discuss the move, after the State Government announced last month that the race-day public holiday was to remain in March.

The SAJC and Thoroughbred Racing SA had sought to shift the race and the public holiday back to their traditional date in May, citing decreasing crowds and competition from other prominent events such as the Clipsal 500 and the Fringe Festival.

Peacock believes the Adelaide Cup should return to May and could be run on a weekend.

"While (the SAJC) has had a good relationship with and support from the Mike Rann Government over the years, I think they have backed the wrong horse," Peacock said.

"There is an overwhelming case for the Adelaide Cup to move back to May and if that means running it on a Saturday or a Sunday without the public holiday, then so be it.

"It's something we'll have to consider and we'll be doing so on Thursday night."

If the SAJC board votes in favour of the switch, the motion will be put to the TRSA board for approval. It would then need to be approved by the Australian Racing Board.

Neither the SAJC nor TRSA has given up hope of the government changing its mind and switching the public holiday to May and both parties plan to meet new Racing Minister Tom Kenyon to discuss the subject in the next month.

The Adelaide Cup and the associated public holiday were first moved to March in 2006.

The inaugural March event attracted a crowd of 32,000 but only 18,000 attended last year's

[OnSong]

Read this yesterday. Was wondering what other punters' thoughts are

[mighty_tiger_79]

when it was first moved in 2006 did we have these other events on at the same time?

the SAJC it would appear just cant make up there mind and i cant see the govt changing the public holiday back to a may date if the change occurs

[bayman]

when it was first moved in 2006 did we have these other events on at the same time?

the SAJC it would appear just cant make up there mind and i cant see the govt changing the public holiday back to a may date if the change occurs

they initially changed it because of the 'wet weather adelaide cups' that we had, it should never had been changed & it should go back to where it was even though it isn't as important a race as it once was, could you imagine the vrc changing the melbourne cup to late october or late november ? off course not.......here is a golden opportunity for the government to 'swap' the adelaide cup holiday for the melbourne cup holiday

[brent-]

I can tell you what, the wet weather was better than the 40+ day we had a few years back in the middle of the heat wave. Was the worst cup day ever.

[overloaded]

peacock just about sums it up

[mighty_tiger_79]

i realise wet weather caused the date change, but sajc now citing other events are competing with them for entertainment cash - were these events on when they first changed?

if so then i say bad luck and the sajc marketing should work harder

[JK]

Admittedly at the time I knew buggerall about racing (not a great deal more these days sadly), but I always thought it was a kneejerk reaction to the year that the last race or two were abandoned back when it was held in May.

As a punter it doesnt fuss me whether it's March or May, but in the interests of $$ for the local industry I personally think it needs to be switched back without a doubt!!

[mighty_tiger_79]

for the experts

have the quality of fields been better or worse with the change?
Does the month make a difference in quality?

[gadj1976]

The race has been downgraded from a Group 1 to a Group 2.

Moving the race hasn't improved things, in fact it's made it worse. I'm happy whenever the race is run, but wake up FFS, this isn't Sydney, nor Brisbane, this is Adelaide. 3200m is archaic for this time of year. Make it 2400m, get some decent horses here and we might make it back to Group 1 status, where a cup of a capital city of Australia belongs.

[DOC]

I dont think the holiday will be transferred to May, which I believe the SAJC have acknowledged.

[Johno6]

my RDO at work falls on the monday of the cup..
wich means i get the tuesday off instead.
so i get a four day weekend.. dont change it till it doesnt line up with my RDO

[stampy]

i reckon the public holiday will follow when it goes back to may the sajc knows it