“The best of racing right now”: Whateley’s $2m idea to put racing in the spotlight

A match race between Pride Of Jenni and Mr Brightside on Turnbull Stakes Day.

Who says no?

It’s something Gerard Whateley wants to see and has put it on Racing Victoria to make it happen as a way of promoting arguably the two best horses in the country.

Turnbull Stakes Day falls a week after the Grand Final and Whateley believes that would give the event the perfect breath of fresh air that the industry desperately needs.

Eyes on our premium product is always a huge plus and Whateley believes a match race between our champions would draw a massive crowd to Flemington.

“This is the best of racing right now, it happens under the blanket of footy so it gets some look but if you looked at the papers the next day it didn’t get the full whack,” Whateley told SEN's Whateley.

“The Saturday after the grand final which is Turnbull Stakes Day, why wouldn’t we come together as a sport and stage a match race?

“Better Loosen Up and Let’s Elope style, worth $2 million and winner takes all at Flemington and we make it the centrepiece of the first time we get our heads outside footy for six months and go whack.

“Here it is, these are the two poster horses of Victorian racing and instead of doing a poll as to who is the best or who wins Victorian Racehorse of the Year – why not do a match race?

“Separate to everything else knowing that they’re going onto their main goals and go ‘here’s the sport, come and join in!’

“The main hurdle is the lack of imagination in Victorian Racing.

“If you couldn’t get a sponsor for that, then the sport really is cast.”

Mr Brightside has got the better of Pride Of Jenni in their first two starts with the Lindsay Park star claiming last Saturday’s Makybe Diva Stakes.

Mr Brightside has won over $14 million in prize money compared to Pride Of Jenni’s $8.8 million.

The two will likely next meet in the Cox Plate on October 26.