Horse racing fans and commentators are calling for something to be done about the Caulfield track after only one jockey dared to use the inside part in nine races on Saturday. There were bizarre scenes during the Caulfield Race Day at the iconic Aussie venue as the majority of the races were run on the outside part of the track.
All but one jockey refused to run their horses near the rail because of how worn that part of the track was. It meant the horses were running much further than they needed to, but the jockeys appeared wary of having a slip and a nasty accident.
Jason Richardson (R) was critical after all but one jockey avoided the inside at Caulfield. Image: Channel 7
Concerningly, it was the first race meeting at Caulfield in over a month but the track still wasn’t in good shape. Speaking on Channel 7, leading commentator Jason Richardson said: “All the jockeys are getting 10-15 (metres) off the rail. Let’s call it how it is, it’s simply not good enough for a metropolitan Saturday at Caulfield. They haven’t raced there for a while and this is craziness.”
Legendary jockey Glen Boss said: “It just looks like a ploughed paddock to me. Soon they’ll be riding in the bar.”
The majority of the jockeys refused to use the inside part of the track.
(Vince Caligiuri)
It took until the final race of the day for someone to take the inside track, but it actually proved a masterstroke. Jett Stanley steered Hezdarnhottoo to victory in Race 9, winning easily on the inside while everyone else took the outside track.
Because the whole race day had been run on the outside section, the inside was lovely and firm for Stanley and Hezdarnhottoo. “You don’t become great by following people and being a sheep,” Stanley said afterwards. “You put your neck on the line. I thought I’d be a genius or an idiot and I turned out to be a genius.
“I thought ‘if they’re losing six or seven lengths going around I might as well sneak up, skip those five or six (lengths) on them and get the job done’. Outside is chopped up all day now … we’re up to Race 9, the inside hasn’t been touched, it’s fresh grass – go there.”
Racing world slams ‘embarrassing’ scenes at Caulfield
On social media, fans and pundits thought it was a sad indictment on the track that only one jockey used the inside section all day. Trav Noonan of SEN radio wrote: “Caulfield clearly a tired track in need of a break. Racing Victoria / Melbourne Racing Club need to look at moving some meetings to give it some time ahead of a busy Spring Carnival. Racing well below how it should be in 2026 with the increased workload.”
Another pundit wrote: “The Caulfield track wasn’t just an embarrassment yesterday, it has been for three months.” While a third added: “I’ve been watching the races since I was 18. Never seen them get out so far at Caulfield. Track is cooked.”
Jett Stanley was the only jockey to use the inside section at Caulfield.
(Vince Caligiuri)
After the Group 1 William Reid Stakes meeting on March 21 at Caulfield, the Melbourne Racing Club conceded the track “didn’t perform to the standard we expected”. Remedial works were carried out, and Caulfield’s racecourse manager Sam Bennetts said last month he was confident the track was in good nick moving forward.
“The biggest difference between this period now and years gone past is the amount of racing we’ve had,” he said. “It was six race meets in nine weeks, so only three Saturdays off, so I think that just caught up to us in the end.”