For the first time in seven years Peter V’landys says he is worried.

The racing wars might be over, and his brainchild, the Everest, is on the verge of being handed group 1 status, but the boss of Racing NSW fears he finally has some competition.

ARL boss Peter V’landys.Credit: Janie Barrett

As usual, V’landys is speaking slightly tongue-in-cheek. But the point he wants to make is that he has a newfound respect for Racing Victoria and its leadership team of chairman Tim Eddy and CEO Aaron Morrison.

“I actually joked to my board that I was concerned because they have got a team that could actually do something,” V’landys says.

“Aaron Morrison in particular is very pragmatic. He’s a smart guy. For the first time I have actually got some competition. I am a bit worried about that.”

Despite his lighthearted misgivings, V’landys has good reason to be upbeat. Since Racing Victoria’s new management offered NSW an olive branch last month, Sydney has been the biggest winner.

Up to five of their feature events – the Everest, the Golden Eagle, the Premiere Stakes, the Russell Balding Stakes and the Shorts – are about to be made group 1 races, lifting the status and drawing power of NSW’s spring carnival. It will also make the races eligible to be included in the World Pool, a betting goliath powered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

For V’landys, it has been a long time coming. Ever since he created the Everest in October 2017, luring eyeballs and the best sprinters away from Melbourne, racing’s two biggest states have been at war.

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