Monday, June 29, 2009
INAUGURAL “SPEED BONUS” AT GOODWOOD CLOSES FOR FIRST REGISTRATIONS TOMORROW, TUESDAY, JUNE 30
Owners and trainers are reminded that the first registration deadline for the “Speed Bonus” at Goodwood is tomorrow, Tuesday, June 30.
The inaugural “Speed Bonus” takes place at Goodwood on Sunday, September 13. This innovative day of racing will consist of eight handicaps, run over distances ranging from five furlongs to two miles, with a £100,000 bonus being awarded to the horse recording the fastest time of the day, as compared to Racing Post standard time.
In order to qualify for the “Speed Bonus” horses must be in the ownership of a member of the Racehorse Owners Association at the time of final declarations (Friday, September 11). The eight races that form the “Speed Bonus” are all handicaps and restricted to horses rated 85 and below. If a horse registered for the “Speed Bonus” subsequently attains a rating higher than 85, the registration fee will be reimbursed to connections.
Registration before tomorrow’s deadline costs £150 per horse. After that, the fee increases to £250 for registration between July 1 and August 12 and then to £1,000 between August 13 and September 10 (all dates are inclusive).
Trainer Harry Dunlop is looking forward to the “Speed Bonus” and is eying the £100,000 bonus with his smart two-year-old Practitioner.
The Dr Fong gelding landed a Salisbury maiden on his debut at the start of the month and followed up with a fine third to the well-regarded Orpen Grey at the Wiltshire course on June 28. That latter effort came in the conditions race won in recent seasons by the likes of subsequent Group One winners Sir Percy and Milk It Mick.
Dunlop revealed today: "I will enter Practitioner, who won his first start and was then third at Salisbury on Sunday. There is a nice nursery on the day at Goodwood so we decided to nominate him and start the ball rolling.
"He is eligible for the £100,000 bonus and, while it is a big ask, it is another fantastic incentive. I actually have a share in the syndicate and we thought it would be a fun idea to try and win the bonus. He is a two-year-old that did not cost a lot of money and the potential prize is lucrative, so why not?
"I am very happy with the progress he has made so far. He won first time; we then stepped him up and he ran into a pretty serious horse of Tom Dascombe's. I think he could run with credit."
Callum MacKay, Marketing & PR Manager at Goodwood, commented: “We are pleased with the level of registrations received so far for the inaugural ‘Speed Bonus’ and this exciting new concept really seems to have caught the attention of owners.
“We would like to remind owners that early registration offers the most cost effective way of ensuring a horse is eligible and that owners have by close of play tomorrow to enter for cost of £150 per horse, which really is excellent value when you consider the £100,000 bonus on offer.”
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