Kalgoorlie Cup moves to Sunday in trial

This year's Kalgoorlie Cup has lost its stand-alone status and will be moved to a Sunday in 2015 in a three-year trial among major changes to the traditional Race Round format.

The decision, by Racing and Wagering WA, means the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Racing Club's 2014 Round showcase will be held in competition with Belmont Park. Stand-alone status for the Kalgoorlie Cup will be restored over the Queen's Birthday long weekend next year, but the pay-off is a move away from the traditional Saturday afternoon.

The 2015 Hannans Handicap will also be moved - from a Wednesday to the Thursday afternoon.

Despite the changes, KBRC chief executive Tim Beaver said the door remained open for the Hannans Handicap and Kalgoorlie Cup to return to the tried-and-true Wednesday/Saturday format after three years.

_The Miner _asked Beaver if the change in format was an example of Perth Racing taking priority over country clubs.

"The problem for us is that we are six hours from Perth," he said.

"If we were two hours from Perth then there would be no question at all we would have a stand-alone meeting and running for metropolitan stakes.

"But we are too far from the metropolitan area and we just have to live with the cards we are dealt."

Beaver said the local club was the second strongest in the State.

He was adamant the Round changes would not result in a drop of quality jockeys, trainers and horses.

"We will still attract the top- liners - I think that's definitely the case. The prizemoney is good and I know the top jockeys will come," he said.

"I'm sure every jockey in Perth and around Australia would love to have a Kalgoorlie Cup in their cabinet."

RWWA chief executive Richard Burt said after more than six months of discussions with KBRC, he believed the result was the "best long-term outcome for both the KBRC and Goldfields community."