Racing NSW chairman John Messara hasn't had a better day at the track.
The first Championships were completed at Randwick on Saturday with It's A Dundeel, in the black and yellow diamonds of Messara's Arrowfield Stud, winning the jewel in the crown of a glittering 10-race series – the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Messara has decisions to make about the future for It's A Dundeel, which trainer Murray Baker believes has his best in front of him – Royal Ascot and Europe or a new career at stud.
The Championships that Messera worked so hard to get off the ground are flying on inital indications and that pleased him more than the $2.4 million first prizemoney cheque.
"Personal success is great but I'm more happy with the way the whole Championships has been received," Messara said. "We have established this meeting in five months.
"It is a focal point for racing in NSW and is going to attract the world to Randwick eventually."
The early indications show how quickly The Championships have become a part of the Australian racing calendar. The betting turnover on Queen Elizabeth Stakes day was up 39 per cent on the NSW TAB from the same day last year and a stunning 54 per cent in Victoria. Hong Kong bet on seven races and turned over $16.9 million after $14 milllion was wagered on day one of the series.
The only slight disappointment was only 25,525 turned up to Randwick to witness It's A Dundeel win the Queen Elizabeth but considering the competition around Easter it was a pass mark, but only just.
"We have a basic line for what we can expect for these days and they are going to get bigger in years to come," Messara said. "The crowd was a little down on what we would have hoped for on such a nice day but I think we have an event that can only get bigger.
"We had people from around the world there on Saturday and they loved what they saw. I would think we will have more horses from Japan and Europe for next year."
Messara and a working group will examine changes to the program for The Championships, which will almost certainly move to the first and second weekends of April from next year. The other decision surrounds his $10 million entire.
It's A Dundeel confirmed his star quality on the track but where his future lies will be decided by Tuesday when the entries for Royal Ascot are due. Messara hasn't drawn up a detailed plan for a European preparation but has put enough thought into it to suggest that the four-year-old would be based at Chantilly in France after Royal Ascot.
"I would favour running him over a mile and 2000m in Europe but we have not looked at any races as yet," Messara said. "Royal Ascot would be a starting point and then I would like to see him over in France.
"There are plenty of races for him over there, so we don't have to worry about that too much.
"It is a decision of do we go to stud or keep racing."
Messara said if It's A Dundeel heads to Royal Ascot for a full European campaign he could target the Prix de l'Arc De Triomphe and, perhaps, England's Champions day at Ascot.
"We would like to keep him in Chantilly because the gallops are flat over there," Messara said. "That would suit him better and if he was going to get to the Arc it would be easier to get there."
It's A Dundeel would target the Queen Anne Stakes over a mile, which opens Royal Ascot, and could have the company of Doncaster winner and Queen Elizabeth runner-up Sacred Falls.
The Raffles syndicate that owns him with Waikato Stud are weighing up options that include the Singapore International Cup next month before the Queen Anne. It would give Chris Waller two potential runners at the Royal meeting as Zoustar is likely to target to the Golden Jubilee.
