Moody and Boss have differing views on where The Everest sits in Australian racing

Hall of Fame jockey Glen Boss is pushing for The TAB Everest to become the fifth Grand Slam of Australian racing.

Boss, who won The Everest on Yes Yes Yes two years ago, said the Royal Randwick sprint has captured the imagination of race fans and is the most talked about race on the turf calendar.

Australian racing currently has four races that are designated Grand Slam races – Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Golden Slipper.

But there is a growing chorus of opinion that Australian racing has outgrown the four-race Grand Slam concept, particularly as the three Melbourne majors cater for middle distance and staying types, while the Golden Slipper is for two-year-olds only.

The momentum is growing to expanding and modernising the Grand Slams into an elite major race series that includes various race distance ranges.

In a Ladbrokes podcast segment released on Wednesday, Boss and trainer Peter Moody debated making The Everest a fifth Grand Slam particularly as Australian sprinters are recognised as the best in the world and it plays to the strengths of the nation’s racing and breeding industry.

Moody described The Everest as a “unique race” but was against the suggestion of elevating the feature sprint to Grand Slam status.

But Boss had an alternative argument and said The Everest should already be considered the “fifth major”.

Glen Boss believes The Everest deserves greater acknowledgment. Picture: Hanna Lassen – Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

“The Everest is the most talked about race in Australia right now,’’ Boss said.

“The whirlwind effect it has created has been nothing but spectacular for racing in Australia generally.

“This race, as soon as it’s finished, you go past the winning post people are already starting to ‘jockey’ for positions to buy a slot for next year, get your horse set.

“It becomes a 12 month project for people, there’s no doubt. So, if it (The Everest) is not a fifth major, what is a fifth major?”

The Everest should be elevated to Group 1 level and as clearly the nation’s best sprint race – and arguably the best in the world – it’s deserving of Grand Slam status.

There are other races that also should be considered for Grand Slam status including the Doncaster Mile, Australian racing’s most prestigious 1600m handicap, and the All-Star Mile which would then provide opportunities for the nation’s best milers to win a major.

Peter Moody has a differing view to Glen Boss. Picture: Pat Scala – Racing Photos via Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

The ATC Australian Derby is the nation’s premier three-year-old classic and if elevated to Grand Slam status, it would be in keeping with worldwide trends. Races like the Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas are also worthy of consideration to cater for the sprinter-milers in this age group.

Thus, an elite tier of Group 1 races is established carrying Grand Slam status which acknowledges the very best and most prestigious races.

There are similar concepts in other sports like tennis, for example, which has its Masters series, a premier group of tournaments carrying higher rankings points than other ATP events.

The Group (Grade) race system has been adopted by all racing jurisdictions but that doesn’t mean Australian racing could not be a pioneer of a new tier of elite, prestigious Grand Slam races that modernises and enhances the sport.

Originally published asThe Everest deserving of elite race status

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