The South African Triple Crown and Triple Tiara, a three legged series of races held at the same venue over different distances is nothing more that an ill thought out marketing waste of money. That's not only the general consensus amongst racing aficionados but also by facts. We take a look at all the facts for the 2022 renewal.

The Triple Crown series of races has become a laughing stock in world racing, in fact, it hasn't, that's a lie. It's so lowly regarded on the world scene that if it were to become a laughing stock, then it would have actually been noticed. This has nothing to do with the winners of the races at all but rather the marketing and programming of these events into a so-called Triple Crown; a world racing non event. It's embarrassing for the already diminishing view held of South African racing and its graded race structure on a global level. Added to that is the so called Triple Crown and Triple Tiara series that by names should be a test of Champions. However, it's turned out to be a regional event held at one racecourse by the same set of horses.

The marketing campaign based on the famed Anerican Triple Crown was and is an ill thought out plan that should be scrapped immediately. The quality of the races and the fields it's attracting, largely Gauteng based horses, is lackluster at best. The average merit ratings of the events is embarrassing to even term it a Triple Crown event.

The merit ratings speak volumes for the quaility of horses in the height of the three year old season.

South Africa is too small a racing nation to have a triple crown. The disparate nature of the horses and climate conditions, especially the altitude factor will make travel and racing on the Highveld for out of towners impossible and history has proven that. It's never going to compete with seasons in KZN or the Western Cape for quaility even with the buying power base. It's time to call it a day on these copy cat race series and build a new event or market individual events for the benefit of the horses and racing. There are many ideas around this that should be left to the brains trust to think up in 4 Racing country.

Here are the merit ratings and prize money for the Triple Crown and Tiara events.

Triple Tiara
Gr 2 R750k Gauteng Fillies Guineas Grade 2 MR 104 Avg Runner Earned: R310 352
Gr 1 R1.25m SA Fillies Classic MR 103 Avg Runner Earned: R387 044
Gr 2 SA R750k SA Oaks MR 87 Avg Runner Earned: R 320 379

Triple Crown
R 750k Gr 1 Cape Guineas MR 101 Avg Runner Earned: R169 486 (alternative event)
R 1m Gr 2 Guateng Guineas MR 103 Avg Runner Earned: R236 045
R1. 5m Gr 1 SA Classic MR 105 Avg Runner Earned: R 319 267
R1. 5m Gr 1 SA Derby MR 94 Avg Runner Earned: R 296 111

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