But the club’s chairman Des Roberts was hot under the collar on Thursday as he pressed the flesh in a room where he is the centre of attention. Trainers, owners, punters and other committee members vented their frustrations about the paltry prizemoney and therefore pathetic roll up of horses for the Oaks Day meeting. Despite great corporate backing, huge interest in the Fashions on the Field and extensive marquee bookings, the racing was, in Roberts’ words, “an insult”.

He copped it from everyone, including a passionate rant from an owner in the committee room. There was nowhere to hide; not that Roberts should have to. It wasn’t his or the club’s fault Racing Victoria had slashed stakemoney by $50,000. As a result, just 37 horses took to the track across the six-race program. It was supposed to be seven races but there weren’t enough runners.

Racing Victoria backed a loser in reducing the event to a “phantom meeting”, as Roberts called it. A race meeting where there is no racing but plenty of fashion, fun and frivolity.

Effectively, Racing Victoria is in the party game. The message the cut sent was that racing isn’t important - the event or party is. That’s not a good look from the body that is supposed to promote racing. Racing is a livelihood for many people and based on their reaction at the meeting, they weren’t having much fun - after all they had just had a 50 per cent pay cut.

Racing Victoria says the decision to cut prizemoney was because of a lack of betting on the meeting previously. They will review the success or otherwise in coming weeks. Given the small fields, betting turnover will be down and then what?

Racing Victoria got this one wrong. It needs to do the right thing by the industry and the paying public and restore stakemoney - that’s a certainty.

grbest@fairfaxmedia.com.au