Monday, September 20, 2004
NORTH LIGHT TO WORK DURING RACING AT NEWMARKET TOMORROW
Racegoers at Newmarket tomorrow will have the added treat of seeing this year's Vodafone Derby hero, North Light, work during racing on the Rowley Mile. Kieren Fallon will be aboard the colt as he covers 9 furlongs with one stable companion at approximately 3pm, between the second and third races, part of his build-up to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Sunday week for which he has been the subject of strong ante-post support in recent days.
WETHERBY ENHANCES RACING PROGRAMME FOR NEW JUMPING SEASON
With Wetherby's new campaign over Jumps, due to start on Wednesday, October 13, the racecourse executive has announced significant increases in prize money regarding two of the course's best-known feature races of the season, while the couple of big races at the two-day Christmas Meeting have swapped days in an attempt to produce more competitive racing.
The bet365 Charlie Hall Chase on Saturday, October 30 now offers record prize money of £70,000 – an increase of £10,000 over last year – for this Grade 2 contest which attracts several of the top staying chasers in the U.K. and Ireland. As an extra incentive for connections of horses
participating in the race, bet365 will offer a bonus of £100,000 if the winner goes on to land the ‘Blue Riband' of Jump Racing, the 2005 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup next March. Should the bonus be won, it will be distributed £75,000 for the owner; £15,000 for the trainer, while the winning stable staff will receive £10,000.
Also, the overall prize money on bet365 Charlie Hall Chase Day will stand at an all-time high of £175,000.
The traditional Sky Bet Christmas Meeting at Wetherby on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday, December 26 & 27 now features a brace of £50,000 races. The skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase is now the principal event on the first day (the prize money for this Listed race is increased by £20,000), while the Grade 2 skybetvegas.com Castleford Chase – acknowledged as a major trial for The Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival – now takes pride of place on the second day.
Looking forward to the new season, Wetherby's chief executive, Tim Betteridge said " We want to continue to build the profile of our feature races. These increases to prize money are only a part of our efforts to do this. We will also be investing significant resources to ensure that the racing surface is in the best possible condition during the season."
Going on to explain the switching of the main races at the Christmas Meeting, Betteridge said "The skybetvegas.com Castleford Chase has struggled to attract decent-sized fields on Boxing Day, so, by avoiding a direct clash with King George V1 Chase Day, we hope this move will make it easier for connections of high-calibre two-mile chasers to run for good prize money at Wetherby on Bank Holiday Monday."
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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