One of racing's most influential administrators believes Australia's standing as a leader on the international thoroughbred stage will be compromised unless a turf row involving NSW and Victoria can be resolved.
John Messara, who quit his post this week as Racing Australia's first independent chairman after he was unable to broker a peace deal between the warring states, says a unified industry is essential for the sport's wellbeing.
"The overwhelming feedback I receive is that the majority of participants want cohesive national leadership to guide the industry through the continual challenges that affect us all," Messara told industry publication Thoroughbred Daily News.
NSW and Victoria racing administrators industries have been at loggerheads for several years.
On the back of new races carrying hefty purses, Racing NSW has muscled in on prime spring racing timeslots that have long been the domain of the Victorian scene.
The move has caused much angst among traditionalists who argue such creations have undermined what is known as the Pattern - a system that helps benchmark racing around the world.
"There is a solution, but it is dependent on the goodwill of the various states," Messara said.
"Quite a bit of work has been done on modernising the Pattern and again, it's a case of getting around the table with a determination to achieve an outcome.
"It has been a huge effort over many years by many people to lift Australian racing to the level of international respect it now enjoys, and I believe that a degradation of our Pattern would set us back in that regard."
A renewed spotlight on Australian racing's infighting comes on the eve of The Championships in Sydney.
Messara was a driving force behind The Championships, two days of high-quality racing at Randwick, during his time as Racing NSW chairman.
And while he couldn't fix the issues of a dysfunctional Racing Australia board, the odds are much better that his influence as a breeder will loom large over the result of the $3 million ATC Australian Derby on Saturday.
Messara's Arrowfield Stud bred Hitotsu, a long-time favourite to win the Derby since claiming the Victorian equivalent in the spring.
On promise alone Hitotsu is a Derby standout but he is an unknown commodity in the rain-affected going that will be on offer at Randwick.
That's why pre-post bookmakers have shown a willingness to take a risk with the favourite as the New Zealand-trained Regal Lion continues to firm in betting.
Sharing top billing with the Derby as Group One races on opening day will be the $1 million Inglis Sires' for two-year-olds, the $2.5 million TJ Smith Stakes for the sprinters and the $3 million Doncaster Mile for Australia's best 1600m horses.
