Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

Because the South American horses are running for G1 purses of about $50,000, while in Australia they run for $1,000,000 (2mill Aussie$) G1 purses. it's the same reason we can't go buy the Japanese horses; their purses are big enough that the American buyers can't buy top performers for a song. Most of the Euro horses sold to the US (as opposed to the raiders) were second class over there and the buyers hope they will improve with Lasix and dry turf. Back when I started going to the races, there were several good Aussie and Kiwi runners in the US, especially in California, horses like Daryl's Joy, Broker's Tip II, Divide and Rule, all classic winners back home and winners of races which would later become grade 1 when grading was introduced.

You did notice when Elvstroem won the Dubai Duty Free a year or so ago? Or when the third or fourth best sprinter in Australia, Choisir, went to Royal Ascot and won a G1? Australia/New Zealand is where most of the horses who race in Hong Kong are bred, including Silent Witness. Australian horses run without any drugs and any horse that bleeds after a race is banned from racing after the second occurence. They run on hard, dry turf and wet, soggy turf, left and right handed and down straights, in front of crowds that make ours look pathetic. Racehorses actually race full campaigns and are national heros there, unlike in this country.

I realize that the learned gentleman is not about to let a few facts make a dent in his parochial prejudices. But others who read this board may be interested in investigating the racing in a country where the sport still has the status and visibility that it had in this country 60 years ago.