Tuesday, April 8, 2003

BHB ANNOUNCES INITIAL RESPONSE TO THE OFFICE OF FAIR TRADING'S PRELIMINARY VIEWS ON BRITISH RACING

BHB Chief Executive Greg Nichols said: "Today's Notice from the OFT has been delayed several times and created a severe and unwelcome level of uncertainty in the racing industry. The OFT investigation started nearly three years ago, so we are pleased that its initial views are at last out in the open for all to see.

"The Notice does not represent the conclusion of the OFT's investigation or prescribe any action, but merely sets out the matters to which racing must give consideration. In the coming weeks BHB will carefully assess the Notice, consult across the industry and produce a comprehensive and robust response.

"However, we are disappointed that the summary of the Notice suggests that the OFT has fundamentally misunderstood how and why British Racing operates as it does. BHB, as the governing authority, has a crucial role to play in safeguarding the sport's integrity, representing and balancing the interests of its stakeholders and delivering British Racing. This is not recognised in the summary of the Rule 14 Notice.

"BHB remains confident that, as a major British sport, thoroughbred racing complies with all competition rules. There is strong competition within British Racing and it operates within a dynamic and competitive sports and leisure market, both in Britain and internationally."

Since BHB's establishment in 1993, betting turnover and prize money have grown in value to record levels, while the numbers of fixtures, races, horses, owners, runners and racegoers have all increased. Five and a half million people went horseracing last year - the highest figure for over four decades.

Nichols added: "British Racing has enjoyed major growth in recent years. The industry has achieved this success by working together to produce a world class product that consumers in increasing numbers want to watch and bet on. Any changes to British Racing must build on the progress that has been made and not dismantle the foundations on which that success has been built."

MONSIEUR BOND TO CONTEST SKY BET THIRSK CLASSIC TRIAL

He said today: "At the moment Monsieur Bond is a definite runner - obviously the ground is going to be a worry for everybody. Rain is forecast for the weekend and I wouldn't run him on firm ground but as long as it's good to firm he'll be fine."

The prestigious mile event, which has record prize money, is the feature of Saturday's six-race programme at the North Yorkshire racecourse, which hosts a two-day meeting which begins on Friday, April 11. Thirsk starts watering today and will continue that tomorrow and on Thursday if no rain arrives.

Monsieur Bond won two races last season and was placed another three times, including when the three-quarter of a length runner-up to Zafeen in the Group Two Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury in September. Smart is enthusiastic about the progress made by the three-year-old Danehill Dancer colt over the winter.

"He's done very well and I couldn't be more pleased with him," he commented. "He looks like he's trained on."

The trainer knows what it takes to win a classic, having taken the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) with Sil Sila, and Monsieur Bond holds an entry for the Sagitta 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 3.

Asked if that was the plan, providing he runs well in the Sky Bet Thirsk Classic Trial at the weekend, Smart replied: "It's a possibility but you don't run before you can walk and let's see how he runs on Saturday and then we'll go from there."

Although Monsieur Bond possesses high-class juvenile form, the trainer has always believed that he would make a better three-year-old.

"He was such a big, lazy type of two-year-old early on that he never really got his act together until the back-end," he explained. "But he's now made up into what I thought he would do - he's a lovely looking horse."

After Monsieur Bond had found just Somnus too good on his racecourse debut in a maiden at York last July, the same rival also beat him in the £200,000 St Leger Yearling Stakes at Doncaster in September and in the £150,000 Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar in October.

Monsieur Bond went down by just over a length and a half into third on the final occasion. The second horse was Tout Seul, who subsequently went on to land the Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. Smart believes his charge's juvenile form is out of the top drawer and there were valid reasons for Somnus beating him each time.

"All of Monsieur Bond's form stands up. Somnus has beaten him every time he's taken him on. First time out, Somnus had had a run and my fellow hadn't, the second time they met Somnus knocked him over in the sales race and the third time our fellow was drawn on the wrong side - Tout Seul and Somnus were drawn together, while Monsieur Bond had to do all his own work on the far side," he continued.

"He wasn't trained for that last race whereas he'd been trained for the Doncaster one - that was going to be his big day and he managed to be Group-placed in between."


Monsieur Bond is entered for the 2000 Guineas as are three of Barry Hills' four entries in the form of Greek Revival, Salcombe and Weavers Pride.

Greek Revival won three races last year including a seven-furlong nursery at Lingfield in November, Salcombe was the two and three-quarter length fourth to Almushahar in the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster in September and Weavers Pride has already won this term, proving one and a quarter lengths too strong for Liffey in a Doncaster maiden on March 21.

Hills, who has won two of the last four runnings of the Sky Bet Thirsk Classic Trial with Race Leader in 2000 and Prolix in 1998, also has entered Splendid Era who won two small races over seven furlongs at Lingfield towards the end of 2002.

Another Guineas entry is the Richard Hannon-trained Tacitus, winner of a conditions race at Doncaster on his seasonal reappearance in March.

Harry Herbert, the racing manager for the owner, the Royal Ascot Racing Club, commented today: "I want Tacitus to run on Saturday but he's a good or softer ground horse. We are thrilled with him. He really needed his first run and is in a great form - he looks a picture. It is the right sort of race for him so I hope there is some rain."

Royal Dignitary, trained by David Loder who collected the Sky Bet Thirsk Classic Trial in 1997 with Starborough , won the first of his two starts as a juvenile last year.

Illustria, an entry for the Sagitta 1000 Guineas, and Roskilde are both trained by Mick Channon, who won last year's running of the Sky Bet Thirsk Classic Trial with Aramram, a Danzig colt who was subsequently sixth in the 2000 Guineas and third in the Group One St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Illustria won a maiden fillies' event at Newbury in August, before running fifth to Geminiani in the Group Three Touchdown In Malaysia Prestige Stakes at Goodwood later in the same month.

NEW-LOOK MILLENNIUM GRANDSTAND READY FOR START OF NEWMARKET SEASON

There are four key aspects to the modifications:

1. The second floor, previously occupied by the Jockey Club and Millennium Club, has been opened up to all Members Enclosure racegoers, giving them a high level, side-on view. There is a large bar for Day Members, a smaller bar for Annual Members and a viewing balcony with 550 seats and standing room for over 300 people.

2. Two sets of escalators have been installed at the back of the stand giving easy access to the first and second floors and at the same time helping to reduce the congestion on the ground floor.

3. A smart, new facility for Owners & Trainers has been created on the first floor, with side-on viewing immediately outside.

4. A roof has been erected over the steppings in the Grandstand & Paddock Enclosure at the end of the Millennium Grandstand, providing wet weather cover for several hundred spectators. There is also a new walkway to the top of these steppings from the Paddock side which should again help to relieve congestion on the ground floor of the Millennium Grandstand.

"We have listened to the views of our customers, spent a year studying the operational performance of the stand and now invested £3.5m to make the changes that were needed," commented Newmarket's Managing Director, Lisa Hancock.

"Getting the stand right was the main thing that I needed to address as my first priority when I came here two and a half years ago and I hope that we have achieved that now. Obviously making modifications to an existing structure is not as ideal as starting with a clean sheet of paper and more investment will be needed here in the future, but I believe that it nevertheless represents a huge stride forward. The Millennium Grandstand is a magnificent building and these changes, which I am delighted to say have been completed in time and under budget, will hopefully unlock its true potential.

"We have one particular hope - that those who gave up on the Rowley Mile when the Millennium Grandstand was opened in 2000 will come back and give it another chance."


NEWMARKET TO STAGE FOUR £1M RACE MEETINGS IN 2003

Overall prize money up 14.5 per cent to almost £6.7m

The July Meeting, Cambridgeshire Meeting and Champions' Day will for the first time join the Sagitta Guineas Festival as million pound race meetings at Newmarket in 2003. These four top class meetings have the lion's share of a record £6,693,500 total prize money for the season at the home of racing, up by £846,000 or 14.5 per cent on last year.

Prize money at the July Meeting (Tuesday 8 to Thursday 10 July) has increased by £184,750 or 22% this year - in the last two years it has risen by 50% - and now stands at exactly £1m. Europe's premier sprint race, the Darley July Cup (G.1), enjoys the biggest increase, up £30,000 to £250,000. The meeting has been boosted by the upgrading of the £70,000 TNT July Stakes from Group 3 to Group 2 status and the £40,000 Weatherbys Superlative Stakes from Listed to Group 3 status. As a result, the July Meeting now boasts one Group 1 race, four Group 2s and one Group 3.

At the Cambridgeshire Meeting (Thursday 2 to Saturday 4 October) prize money is up by just over £80,000 to exactly £1m despite the reduction in the meeting from 27 races over 4 days to 21 races over three days. This streamlining considerably enhances the quality of the three remaining days, which is further boosted by the upgrading of the £50,000 Shadwell Stud Joel Stakes from Listed to Group 3 status. There are £20,000 increases to each of the two Group 1 races, the £170,000 Shadwell Stud Middle Park Stakes and the £170,000 Cheveley Park Stakes. The day trimmed from the Cambridgeshire has been moved to the spring to create a new fixture on Friday 30 May.

Champions' Day (Saturday 18 October) passes the £1m mark for the first time without the help of supplementary entries. It rises by £50,000 to £1,030,000. The quality is enhanced by the upgrading of the Darley Stakes from Listed to Group 3 status such that the day now boasts six Group Races - two Group 1s, two Group 2s and two Group 3s - and one of the season's most prestigious and competitive handicaps, the Tote Cesarewitch. Overall, it is unquestionably the highest-class racecard in the British racing calendar.

Prize money at the Sagitta Guineas Festival (Friday 2 to Sunday 4 May), which became the first Newmarket race meeting to pass the £1m mark last year, rises by £114,500 to £1,139,000. The biggest increases were to the two Classics, both races increasing by £20,000 to £320,000.

"To have all four of our big race meetings reach the £1m prize money mark is a great milestone to pass," commented Michael Prosser, Newmarket's Clerk of the Course.

"Prize money has risen this year on the vast majority of our 36 racedays and whilst a fair proportion of the increases are in line with the new minimum values, we have raised the value of many races above these levels. Newmarket is synonymous with top class racing and it is our overriding aim to provide prize money levels at the home of racing commensurate with our status."

For more information, please contact
Lisa Hancock 01638 675502 or 07885 399432
Michael Prosser 01638 675504 or 07802 844578
Alistair Haggis, Press Officer, 01638 675553 or 07884 026487


SPEECHES


Welcome from PETER PLAYER, Chairman of Newmarket Racecourses.

LISA HANCOCK, Managing Director of Newmarket Racecourses, said:

"As Peter has said, the modifications to the Millennium Grandstand that were carried out over the winter have been completed and the main thing we would like to do this morning is to show you what we've done. The contractors handed the stand back to us 10 days ago, on time and under budget, and you are pretty much the first group of people to see it.

"There are four key areas to highlight:

Firstly, the second floor has been opened up to all Members' Enclosure racegoers, giving them the high level, side-on view that they understandably wanted. There is a large bar for Day Members, a smaller bar for Annual Members and a viewing balcony with 550 seats and standing room for over 300 people.

Secondly, we have installed two sets of escalators at the back of the Millennium Grandstand giving easy access to the first and second floors and at the same time helping to reduce the congestion on the ground floor.

Thirdly, we have created an excellent new facility for Owners & Trainers on the first floor, with side-on viewing immediately outside. Chris Brasher was instrumental in developing these plans and it's such a shame that he's not here to see them come to fruition.

And fourthly we have put a roof over the steppings in the Grandstand & Paddock Enclosure at the end of the Millennium Stand, providing wet weather cover for several hundred spectators. There is also a new walkway to the top of these steppings from the Paddock side which should again help to relieve congestion on the ground floor of the Millennium Stand.

Oh and there's a rather important 5th point! With the help of John Sexton, we have created a much bigger and, we hope, a much better laid out Press Room with a lot more room between the rows of desks. As a result you'll hopefully be able to take advantage of Pauline's lunches without having to worry about whether you'll be able to squeeze back into your seat afterwards! I'm also pleased to say that we will have much improved Vodafone and Cellnet mobile phone reception when the new masts go live in the very near future, though I'm afraid that Orange showed no interest in putting up a new mast for their network despite our best attempts to encourage them to do so.

Those then are the major modifications, though when we look round the stand in a few minutes you will see a number of other improvements as well, including a new lift for disabled and wheelchair racegoers in the Grandstand & Paddock Enclosure.

Getting the stand right was the main thing that I needed to address as my first priority when I came here just over two years ago. We have listened to the views of our customers, spent a year studying the operational performance of the stand and now invested £3.5m to make the changes that were needed. Obviously making modifications to an existing structure is not as ideal as starting with a clean sheet of paper and more investment will undoubtedly be needed here in the future, but I believe that it nevertheless represents a huge stride forward. The Millennium Stand is a magnificent building and these changes will hopefully unlock its true potential.

We have one particular hope - that those who gave up on the Rowley Mile when the Millennium Stand was opened in April 2000 will come back and give it another chance. That's very much our key message for today's Press Conference.

I will just quickly mention some of the related changes elsewhere on the racecourse the Jockey Club Rooms have been relocated to what was the Guineas Bar and we have created a new premium facility, called the Thoroughbred Lounge, for which the vast majority of the old Millennium Club members have bought badges. It is located at the top of the Head-On stand where the old High Top Bar used to be. The small bar just across the Courtyard from where we are, which for the last two years was the Rowley Mile owners' & trainers' facility, reverts to being a Members' Enclosure bar under the new name of the Cellar Bar.

I would now like run briefly through some other key points. Firstly our signage, as some of you may have noticed, is in the process of being completely redone in time for the Craven Meeting next week. Apart from smartening up both our racecourses, the new signs will convey our new identity: "Newmarket Racecourses, the Home of Racing". We believe that "Home of Racing" is a far more friendly and appealing concept than "Headquarters", though I don't doubt that "Headquarters" or "HQ" will continue to be much used in racing circles and on the racing pages. The Rowley Mile, in particular, is all about top class racing at its purest and at its best. The horse itself is king. We want the quality of the whole racing experience here to be unrivalled and we will be working on a number of initiatives to this end over the coming months.

Just as we occupy a unique position in British racing, so the Curragh does in a similar way in Ireland. Most of you will already be aware of our twinning arrangement with the Curragh that we announced a couple of weeks ago. I'm delighted to say that Evan Arkwright, Commercial Manager at the Curragh, is here today, so if you'd like to talk to him afterwards about the link, which was his idea, then I know he'll be delighted to have a chat.

We have increased some of our admission prices for our big days in 2003, though they are pretty modest increases, especially when you consider that the vast majority of our admission charges have not increased for 3 years. At the Guineas Meeting and Champions' Day, Members' Enclosure admission rises to £35 from £30, though this includes for the first time a free racecard worth £2, and Grandstand & Paddock goes up by £3 to £18. The Family Enclosure is unchanged at just a fiver. At the July Meeting, Members rises by £3 to £28 and Grandstand & Paddock by £2 to £15. For the Newmarket Nights on the July Course, Members is up by £5 to £25 and Grandstand & Paddock up £2 to £15.

However, with generous advance booking discounts for all our meetings, it is very easy to book in advance and pay a lot less for admission. Even at the full prices, we continue to compare extremely favourably indeed with major meetings at other racecourses. Moreover, admission prices for our normal meetings are all unchanged, with Members costing £18, Grandstand & Paddock £12 and the Family Enclosure £4.

I am delighted to say that Ruinart, whom we have to thank for today's champagne reception, are continuing their support for Newmarket in 2003 with their race sponsorship and the second year of the Ruinart Champions Challenge, identifying the trainer who has the best record in our Group Races this season. Saeed bin Suroor won last year's inaugural award which Frankie will be receiving on his behalf next Wednesday.

The other major topic to brief you on today is prize money which is up by some 14% this year to nearly £6.7m. While a fair proportion of that is in line with the increases to minimum values, many of our top races have risen well above these levels. I'd like to hand over to Michael Prosser, our Clerk of the Course, who will talk you through the headline increases and bring you up-to-date with the latest on the state of the ground. After one of the driest Marches on record, I think it's fair to say that the ground has given him just the odd sleepless night recently! Michael, over to you."


MICHAEL PROSSER, Clerk of the Course, said:

"Thank you Lisa. I'll start with the big news on prize money and I'm delighted to announce that for the first time Newmarket will be staging no less than four race meetings each with £1m in prize money. In the past only the Sagitta Guineas Festival in May has attained this level without the help of supplementary entries. This season it is joined by the July Meeting, for which prize money has risen by over 50% in just 2 years, the Cambridgeshire Meeting, where prize money is up by over 8% this year despite the fact that we've reduced it from 4 days to 3 days, and Champions' Day, which hit the £1m mark last year thanks to supplementary entries, but which will do so in its own right this year.

We have focused on the July and Cambridgeshire Meetings in particular over the last two years and the fruits of that are now there to be seen. At the £1m July Meeting, which was only worth £665,000 two years ago and £815,000 last year, we have made increases across the board which you will see detailed in your Press Packs. These include adding £30,000 to Europe's premier sprint, the Darley July Cup, taking it to £250,000, and adding £20,000 to the each of the Falmouth Stakes and the Princess of Wales's UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation Stakes. Both these Group 2 races are now worth £100,000. The TNT July Stakes has been elevated from Group 3 to Group 2 status and is now worth £70,000, while the Weatherbys Superlative Stakes has gone to Group 3 from Listed Status. As a result the July Meeting now has one Group 1, four Group 2s and one Group 3 which greatly strengthens its race programme.

The appeal of the July Meeting will be further enhanced this year by the National Stud's decision to move its big trade fair to coincide with our big summer meeting. The National Stud is, of course, located right next door to the July Course. With a stallion parade, rare breed parades, rehabilitated racehorses and polo pony displays and a Royal Household Cavalry Musical Ride, to mention just a few of the attractions, as well as all the trade stands which are open from 9 in the morning until 9 at night, this will add a huge amount of interest to the July Meeting. All in all we are very excited indeed about the future of this great summer fixture.

Moving on to the Cambridgeshire Meeting, the big change here is its reduction to three days. I think everyone was in agreement that four days was too many and that the overall quality was diluted as a result. By moving the fourth day to create a new fixture on Friday 30th May, we have been able to enhance very considerably the quality of the three remaining days and the fact that prize money has gone up for the meeting despite the reduction in the number of races is an indication of how much extra cash has been injected. This includes the Shadwell Stud Middle Park and the Cheveley Park Stakes, which both go up by £20,000 to £170,000, while the Shadwell Stud Joel Stakes has been upgraded from Listed to Group 3 status and is now worth £50,000. The full race programme for this meeting is outlined in your Press Pack.

Champions' Day, meanwhile, now has prize money of £1.03m and, with the upgrading of the Darley Stakes to Group 3 from Listed status, the day now boasts two Group 1's, two Group 2's, two Group 3's and in the £130,000 Tote Cesarewitch, one of the season's great handicaps. It is unquestionably the highest-class racecard in the British racing calendar.

We have made many other prize money increases at our smaller meetings, but it is at these big meetings where the bulk of the extra money has gone. Newmarket is synonymous with top class racing and it is our overriding aim to provide prize money levels at the Home of Racing commensurate with our status.

Moving on to the ground and as Lisa has already mentioned, the gods haven't exactly been smiling on Britain's clerks of the course over the last two months! In February we had less than 1 inch of rain at Newmarket and no less than 15 overnight ground frosts. In March we had just over half an inch of rain and the mean daytime soil temperature has been hovering between only 6 and 8 degrees Celsius. It needs to achieve 10 degrees for active growth. We thought it was dry last year when we had to water for the first time in living memory ahead of the Craven Meeting. Then we'd had nearly two inches more rain in February and March and higher temperatures, so you can appreciate the problems we've faced this year.

If this is a sign of things to come it's a good job that we've invested heavily in a new ring main, pumps and boom spray that will significantly improve the efficiency with which we can irrigate both the Rowley Mile and July Courses. We started watering on March 25th - which is unheard of here at Newmarket - and will be applying a further 5mm of water to the course today as the forecast is for dry weather until the weekend. Then it looks as if we may be fortunate enough to get some showers, though we could miss all of them.

I'd be the first to admit that it's not looking as good as we'd like out there, but it's level, it's consistent and with some warmer weather and a bit of rain it'll take off and I'm confident that it'll be in great nick for the Sagitta Guineas Festival. And don't forget that with the new reduced safety factors introduced by the BHB, we are able to split the track this spring, racing on the far side for the Craven and on entirely fresh ground for the Guineas.

I'll be walking the course after we've finished watering this afternoon and will give my first official going report for the Craven Meeting after that.

One other piece of news is that we have confirmed our policy on horses working on the track in advance of and during big race meetings. Our old policy was criticised at the July Meeting last year when we turned down Godolphin's approach to work Sakhee. From now on, we will allow a horse rated 115 or above to work with a maximum of two galloping companions as long as we are informed by noon the day before the gallop and on condition that we inform you, the media, so that the public can also be informed. The gallop can take place either 1 hour before the first race or immediately after the last.

We have some really great racing to look forward to over the next 3 weeks, with the two Sagitta Guineas races looking particularly strong this year. In the Sagitta 2000 Guineas we look like getting the full might of Aidan O'Brien's yard, now that he seems to have chosen to by-pass the Kentucky Derby, and there's a powerful-looking home contingent headed by Tout Seul and Trade Fair. The Sagitta 1000 Guineas is looking exceptional at this stage, with the two brilliant Newmarket-trained fillies from last season, Soviet Song and Russian Rhythm, up against probably the two best from France in Six Perfections, who won her trial yesterday, and Intercontinental.

Our first meeting of the season, the Craven Meeting, is just a week away and we're all ready for lift-off on the racing side.

Thank you."


LISA HANCOCK added:

"Thanks Michael. Looking ahead to the Sagitta Guineas Festival in three weeks time, I might just mention our advance bookings which are currently running at record levels. The news of the improved Millennium Stand is hopefully already having an effect.

However, if the phones have been very warm for Guineas bookings, they've been positively red hot for the Newmarket Nights! We announced a couple of weeks ago our line-up of bands that would play after the six Friday evening race meetings on the July Course and the new dedicated advance booking number for the Newmarket Nights has been inundated with calls since. Not surprisingly, the most popular Nights are August 15th when Atomic Kitten are making their debut at Newmarket, July 25th when Liberty X are making their first appearance here, July 18th, when Jools Holland is on course for yet another sell-out, and August 1st when Status Quo look likely to sell out for the second year running.

Two years ago we sold out on one night, Jools Holland. Last year we sold out on two nights, Jools Holland and Status Quo. This year we're aiming for a sell-out on four nights which would obviously be fantastic news for us. We look almost certain to reach 100,000 racegoers over the six nights for the first time. These Nights have made Newmarket the number one post-racing concert venue in Britain and they play a vital role not only in attracting a new type of racegoer, a percentage of whom we may be able to encourage to come back on other days, but also in providing us with the revenue to push up prize money and improve facilities on both our courses. Our next big project will be to enhance the facilities on the July Course.

So let me very briefly summarise the key points from today. We are confident that in 2003 we will at last be getting the best possible use from the Millennium Grandstand which I hope will have a hugely positive effect on the racing experience for all our racegoers on the Rowley Mile. Prize money will hit £1m at all our big meetings this season which is a fantastic milestone to have reached. Allied to some key race programme changes, notably making the Cambridgeshire Meeting a 3-day fixture, we can promote our big meetings on the basis of consistent top quality racing.

I should also mention that last year we initiated a comprehensive customer service review and all our staff and Letheby & Christopher's catering staff will be striving to provide a better than ever service to our racegoers. Indeed at the end of last year we became the first RHT racecourse to be awarded "Investors In People" accreditation, reflecting the level of training and investment in our staff. We want to offer an unrivalled raceday experience as our customers should rightly expect from the Home of Racing.

With the National Stud's Trade Fair enhancing the July Meeting and the best-ever line-up of bands for the Newmarket Nights season, we will be offering top quality entertainment as well as top class racing during the coming season.

The smart new "Home of Racing" signage that you will see next week will, I hope, provide an immediate and very visible indication that Newmarket Racecourses are thriving and looking forward very confidently to the new season. We promised you a new era on this day two years ago and I hope you'll agree that, after a great deal of behind the scenes work since then, the dawn of that new era is now visible to all.

We want your feedback. If you have any ideas where we can make further improvements and enhancements to what Newmarket currently offers, do please let us know. Many of you know Newmarket as well or better than anyone else and your input will always be welcomed.

Thank you."

SAGITTA GUINEAS FESTIVAL

FRIDAY 2ND MAY

1.10 Portland Lodge Handicap 3-y-o+ D 10f £15,000
1.45 Newmarket Stakes (Listed) 3-y-o A 10f £32,000
2.20 Sagitta Jockey Club Stakes (Group 2) 4-y-o+ A 12f £100,000
2.55 tote.co.uk Handicap 3-y-o C 7f £20,000
3.30 Dahlia Stakes (Listed) 4-y-o+ A 9f £32,000
4.05 Thetford Maiden Stakes 3-y-o D 7f £10,000


SATURDAY 3RD MAY

1.45 Countrywide Steel & Tubes Rated Stakes 4-y-o+ B 10f £20,000
2.20 Victor Chandler Palace House Stakes (Group 3) 3-y-o+ A 5f £50,000
2.55 Ladbrokes Handicap 3-y-o+ C 6f £50,000
3.35 Sagitta 2000 Guineas (Group 1) 3-y-o A 8f £320,000
4.10 Ruinart Champagne Conditions Stakes 3-y-o C 12f £14,000
4.45 European Metal Recycling Maiden Stakes 2-y-o D 5f £10,000
5.20 Curragh Racecourse Conditions Stakes 4-y-o+ B 10f £20,000


SUNDAY 4TH MAY

2.05 Curtis Medical Rated Stakes 4-y-o+ B 6f £30,000
2.35 Mail On Sunday/Tote Mile (Handicap) 3-y-o C 8f £20,000
3.10 R L Davison Pretty Polly Stakes (Listed) 3-y-o A 10f £32,000
3.50 Sagitta 1000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1) 3-y-o A 8f £320,000
4.25 May Classified Stakes 3-y-o B 7f £20,000
5.00 March Handicap 4-y-o+ C 12f £14,000
5.35 Hasting Maiden Stakes 3-y-o D 8f £10,000

TOTAL MEETING PRIZE MONEY £1,139,000 (2002 £1,024,500)


JULY MEETING

TUESDAY 8TH JULY

1.45 H&K Commissions (Bookmakers)Handicap 3-y-o+ C 8f £16,000
2.15 Tote Rated Stakes 3-y-o B 6f £60,000
2.50 Chippenham Lodge Stud Cherry Hinton Stakes (Group 2) 2-y-o A 6f £70,000
3.25 Princess of Wales's UAE Equestrian & Racing Federation Stakes (Group 2) 3-y-o+ A 12f £100,000
4.00 Strutt & Parker Maiden Stakes 2-y-o D 7f £12,000
4.35 racingpost.co.uk Fillies Rated Stakes 3-y-o B 7f £20,000
5.05 Helmwell Homes Maiden Stakes 3-y-o D 10f £12,000

WEDNESDAY 9TH JULY

1.45 Bahrain Trophy (Listed) 3-y-o A 14f £32,000
2.15 TNT July Stakes (Group 2) 2-y-o A 6f £70,000
2.50 Bonusprint Handicap 3-y-o B 10f £ 50,000
3.25 Falmouth Stakes (Group 2) 3-y-o+ A 8f £100,000
4.00 Scottish Equitable/Jockeys' Association EBF Novice Stakes 2-y-o D 6f £12,000
4.35 Laing O'Rourke Handicap 4-y-o+ C 16f £15,000
5.05 NGK Spark Plugs Handicap 3-y-o+ D 5f £12,000

THURSDAY 10TH JULY

1.45 Handicap 3-y-o C 8f £20,000
2.15 Weatherbys Superlative Stakes (Group 3) 2-y-o A 7f £40,000
2.50 Darley July Cup (Group 1) 3-y-o+ A 6f £250,000
3.25 Ladbrokes Bunbury Cup (Handicap) 3-y-o+ B 7f £70,000
4.00 Maiden Fillies Stakes 2-y-o D 6f £12,000
4.35 Helmwell Homes Maiden Stakes 3-y-o D 7f £12,000
5.05 Handicap 3-y-o+ C 12f £15,000

TOTAL MEETING PRIZE MONEY £1,000,000 (2002 £815,250*)

* Before additional prize money from Darley July Cup supplementary entries is included

CAMBRIDGESHIRE MEETING

THURSDAY 2ND OCTOBER

1.10 Fishpools Godolphin Stakes (Listed) 3-y-o+ A 12f £32,000
1.45 Rous Stakes (Listed) 3-y-o+ A 5f £32,000
2.20 Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1) 2-y-o A 6f £170,000
2.55 Somerville Tattersall Stakes (Group 3) 2-y-o A 7f £60,000
3.30 NGK Spark Plugs Nursery Handicap 2-y-o C 6f £20,000
4.05 JRA Maiden Stakes 2-y-o D 8f £10,000
4.40 Fillies Rated Stakes 3-y-o+ B 6f £20,000

FRIDAY 3RD OCTOBER

1.10 EBF Unfuwain Maiden Stakes 2-y-o D 7f £12,000
1.45 Unicoin Homes Noel Murless Stakes (Listed) 3-y-o A 14f £32,000
2.20 Shadwell Stud Joel Stakes (Group 3) 3-y-o+ A 8f £50,000
2.55 Shadwell Stud Middle Park Stakes (Group 1) 2-y-o A 6f £170,000
3.30 Rated Stakes 3-y-o+ B 12f £20,000
4.05 EBF Further Flight Classified Stakes 3-y-o+ C 8f £15,000
4.40 Reg Day Memorial Rated Stakes 3-y-o+ C 7f £20,000

SATURDAY 4TH OCTOBER

1.40 EBF Jersey Lily Nursery 2-y-o B 7f £35,000
2.15 Oh So Sharp Stakes (Listed) 2-y-o A 7f £25,000
2.50 Peugeot Sun Chariot Stakes (Group 2) 3-y-o+ A 8f £100,000
3.35 Tote Cambridgeshire Handicap 3-y-o+ B 9f £130,000
4.10 Rated Stakes 3-y-o B 10f £20,000
4.45 EBF Tony Lake Memorial Maiden Stakes 2-y-o D 6f £12,000
5.20 NGK Spark Plugs Handicap 3-y-o C 14f £15,000

TOTAL MEETING PRIZE MONEY £1,000,000 (2002 £919,500*)

* Comprising 27 races over 4 days; in 2003 the meeting comprises just 21 races over 3 days

CHAMPIONS' DAY

SATURDAY 18TH OCTOBER

1.35 Jockey Club Cup (Group 3) 3-y-o+ A 16f £50,000
2.10 Victor Chandler Challenge Stakes (Group 2) 3-y-o+ A 7f £100,000
2.50 Tote Cesarewitch Handicap 3-y-o+ B 18f £130,000
3.25 Darley Dewhurst Stakes (Group 1) 2-y-o A 7f £230,000
4.05 Emirates Airline Champion Stakes (Group 1) 3-y-o+ A 10f £400,000
4.45 Owen Brown Rockfel Stakes (Group 2) 2-y-o A 7f £70,000
5.20 Newmarket Darley Stakes (Group 3) 3-y-o+ A 9f £50,000
TOTAL MEETING PRIZE MONEY £1,030,000 (2002 £980,000*)

* Before additional prize money from Emirates Airline Champion Stakes and Darley Dewhurst Stakes supplementary entries is included

TOTE DAY AT PONTEFRACT

Established, trained in Kent by John Best was last year's winner of this contest for stayers, just beating the veteran Jamaican Flight - who could be back for another crack at the race, after recording a couple of victories this year on the all-weather track at Wolverhampton.

The afternoon's Showcase Handicap, the £15,000 Tote Placepot Stakes, is a contest for sprinters over six furlongs.

The giant ToteVision Screen, situated opposite the main stands, will enable racegoers to follow the action even more closely. Racing on Monday is scheduled to begin at 2.15 p.m.

INCREASE IN PRIZE MONEY AT BEVERLEY

This upgrading of the racing programme has been made possible by increased contributions from the racecourse executive, along with enhanced race sponsorship as existing sponsors are joined by new race supporters to enhance the action on the Westwood.

Each day of the season will feature at least one race with minimum prize money of £10,000, while the four weekend fixtures each stage a £20,000 race to ensure quality, competitive racing.

The richest-ever race held at Beverley will take pride of place on Saturday, 23 August. The Tote Scoop6 Handicap Stakes - a contest for three-year-olds over one mile and a quarter - has £40,000 added to stakes.

Two-year-olds are the focus of attention at the first of Beverley's four evening meetings, Wednesday night, 4 June, with The Hilary Needler Trophy (a £25,000 Listed race for fillies) and The Brian Yeardley Continental Trophy (a £20,000 Conditions contest for colts and geldings) taking pride of place on an evening of quality racing. Both races have received a significant boost in prize money.

Local company, Coachman Caravans return to the Westwood to elevate their sponsorship by supporting the entire card on Saturday, 10 May, including the £20,000 Coachman Caravans Conditions Stakes over five furlongs.

The betting exchange company, Sportingoptions.co.uk renew their association with Beverley by sponsoring five races on Tuesday, 20 May.

New sponsors, Persimmon Homes, the York-based leading national housebuilders support the 118th Year of the Watt Memorial Handicap Stakes; with prize money of £15,000, it is the richest-ever renewal of this race for stayers.

THEMED RACEDAYS

There's an increase in themed racedays this year at Beverley.

The new evening fixture on Thursday, 19 June is ‘Works Night Out', when local businesses will be invited to bring their workforce along, with the possibility of winning prices throughout the evening.

‘Medieval Night' takes place on Monday, 21 July, when Knights will be on hand to entertain the racegoers and give an insight into bygone times. There will be jousting and a hog roast, while trainers and jockeys may be persuaded to spend time in the stocks to raise money for charity!

The traditional 'Ladies Day', supported by The Hull Daily Mail takes place on Wednesday, 13 August, and will include stunning fashion shows and beauty demonstrations.

Charities to benefit with racedays at Beverley this year include WellBeing (Friday evening, 4 July), The Sailors' Families' Society (Monday evening, 21 July) and Spinal Research (Thursday, 14 August).

NEW WORK AT BEVERLEY

The Members' Enclosure has been refurbished at a cost in excess of £200,000. This work includes the full development of the Members' Bar to create a larger, more modern facility. There's a new terraced seating area, while the floor level has been raised in the Members' area to enable racegoers to see even more of the action on the course.

A new Tattersalls Enclosure Entrance Hall has been constructed, offering smart surroundings for racegoers, while new turnstiles and security measures have been put in place. The total cost is approximately £85,000.

On-going drainage work has been carried out on the track around the bottom and entrance to the five-furlong chute, costing £20,000.

Plastic running rail is now in place throughout the entire racecourse, while refurbishment work has begun on the stables ensuring the maximum bio security for horses and to assist in the disinfection measures between race meetings.

IRISH THOROUGHBRED NEWS

The Irish-bred son of Montelimar hardly put a foot wrong as he coasted to a 12-length win over the Supreme Leader gelding Supreme Glory. Amberleigh House (Buckskin) was third.

Owned by the Dee Racing Syndicate, Monty's Pass cost just IR4,200 gns at the Tattersalls (Ireland) Derby Sale in 1997 and he is the latest in a long line of big race winners to graduate from the Irish point-to-point field.

A winner of the valuable Kerry National at Listowel last September, Monty's Pass could now run in the EUR160,000 Heineken Gold Cup at Punchestown later this month.

Mangan said, "He's not in the Irish Grand National but he may run at Punchestown. We may look for something for him during the summer before trying to win the Kerry National at Listowel for a second time."

The winner was ridden by 24-year-old Barry Geraghty who only four weeks ago finished the Cheltenham Festival as leading rider. He said, "I couldn't believe how easily he won. He was always travelling, stayed on well and jumped brilliantly. The whole race could not have gone better for him."

CHAMPION CHARLIE CALLS IT A DAY

Charlie Swan brought to an end a glorious 20-year riding career when he announced his retirement from the saddle after riding his own Patriot Games to win the Listed Clark's Brewery Handicap Hurdle at Aintree on Friday.

The nine-times Irish champion jockey intends to continue his highly successful training career and landed a winner less than 24-hours after he hung up his boots when Saintly Rachel won the bumper at Tramore on Sunday.

Swan's farewell ride failed to produce a winner however as he finished third behind Sacundai on Like-A-Butterfly in the Martell Hurdle.

As one of Ireland's greatest ever jockeys, 35-year-old Swan enjoyed numerous big-race successes but he considers Istabraq's third Champion Hurdle as the best of them all.

Paying tribute to Swan, Aidan O'Brien, who trained Istabraq, said, "To me he was always the ultimate horseman and the ultimate jockey. He had it all. A wonderful understanding of the horses he rode, a marvellous brain and great tactical skill. On top of that, he's always been the complete gentleman."

SECOND MELLING CHASE FOR NATIVE

Native Upmanship ran out a highly impressive winner of the Grade 1 Martell Cognac Melling Chase for the second successive year at Aintree last Friday.

The John Noonan-bred son of Be My Native never came off the bridle as he easily accounted for Seebald and four other high quality rivals.

Mrs Sue Magnier's 10-year-old was winning for the 14th time in his career and has now been successful in 11 graded events, seven of which have been at the highest level. Native Upmanship was sold for IR8,800gns at the Tattersalls (Ireland) Derby Sale in 1995.

The Arthur Moore-trained winner now heads for the Punchestown Festival where he has a choice of engagements.

LEINSTER LEADS THE WAY IN GRADE 2

Dessie Hughes and Kieran Kelly added to their memorable Cheltenham success with Hardy Eustace when Leinster took the Grade 2 St Austell Brewery Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree.

Previously a winner in a National Hunt Flat race at last year's Punches town Festival, Leinster has shown good form during the winter months and was recording his first win over hurdles.

The son of Supreme Leader was sold for IR35,000gns at the Tattersalls (Ireland) Derby Sale and is likely to be in action at the upcoming Punchestown Festival.

CENTURY CITY TAKES SANTA ANITA GRADE 2

The ex-Aidan O'Brien trained Century City was the game winner of the Grade 2 Arcadia Handicap at Santa Anita on Sunday. Winner of the Goffs International Race at the Curragh last season this was his second success in the USA.

Ridden close to the pace by Hose Valdivia Jr., he stretched clear of his rivals early in the straight and held on by a comfortable neck. Ballingarry was having his first race of 2003 over this inadequate distance and looks ready for a big run in his next objective, the Jim Murray Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park.

IRISH HUSSAR TOO STRONG IN MILDMAY

Irish Hussar, an improving son of Supreme Leader, showed plenty of determination to win the Grade 2 Happy Shopper Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree.

Runner-up in the Cathcart Chase at Cheltenham, Irish Hussar scored a five-length success over It Takes Time to win for the fifth time in just nine starts.

Irish Hussar was sold at the Tattersalls (Ireland) Derby Sale for IR51,000 gns in 2000.

ALPHA PURE GOLD AT AINTREE

The smart Golden Alpha won his fifth race over fences and his ninth in all when landing the Listed Martell Cognac Safeway Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree.

Sold for just IR4,000 gns at the Tattersalls (Ireland) November National Hunt Sale in 1995, the Sean Twomey-bred son of Alphabatim ran out the easiest of winners in the two-mile event.

SUCCESS FOR O'GRADY AND LEE AT AINTREE

Irish trainers Edward O'Grady and Andrew Lee both visited the winners' enclosure at Aintree last week. O'Grady landed the Grade 1 Martell Cognac Aintree Hurdle with Sacundai who outbattled Champion Hurdler Rooster Booster to win the two and a half mile contest. The gutsy winner will only run at the Punchestown Festival if the ground comes up on the soft side and is likely to be trained for the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham next year.

Andrew Lee, who trains close to Middleton, County Cork, saddled Risky Reef to win the Listed Cordon Bleu Handicap Hurdle. This was his first runner in England.

Owned by the Ergon Syndicate, Risky Reef could run in the EUR100,000 Powers Gold Label Handicap Hurdle Series final at Fairyhouse towards the end of the month.

WHO'S THE FIRST FOR DOCKSIDER

Who's Winning became the first winner for Airlie Stud sire Docksider when successful in the European Breeders Fund Tenterden Maiden Stakes at Folkestone.

Running for the first time, Who's Winning led before halfway in the five furlong contest on the way to a comfortable win. He now goes to Chester for the Listed Lily Agnes Stakes.

Who's Winning was bred by Colin Kennedy and is from his sire's first crop.

RECORD PRIZEMONEY ON OFFER AT PUNCHESTOWN

The prize fund for the four-day Irish National Hunt Festival at Punches town has been increased by EUR100,000 and will exceed EUR1.5 million for the first time ever, it has been announced.

The Festival runs from Tuesday, April 29 to Friday, May 2 and features Grade 1 races on each afternoon. Fresh ground will be provided and the track used during the Festival has not been raced on for 12 months.

Further information on the Irish National Hunt Festival and Punches town Racecourse is available at www.punchestown.com.

For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink Archive

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