Horse Racing Officials To Study Track Ratings Of Australia's Venues

Senior Racing Victoria and Racing New South Wales officials "will on Thursday begin a wide-ranging review of the system of rating tracks in Australia," according to Patrick Bartley of THE AGE. Currently track ratings of dead, good, slow and heavy "are accompanied by numbers between one and 10 to represent the state of the track." The numbering system "has come under criticism, with some racing officials maintaining it allows too many loopholes for owners and trainers to scratch horses on race day." Some betting firms and a track rating agent from England "send people to the Melbourne spring carnival because they find the Australian system too confusing" (THE AGE, 1/23).