CHELTENHAM ANNOUNCES FESTIVAL PRIZE MONEY UP BY £315,000
National Hunt Chase Numbers Reduced
Prize money at the 2007 Festival will increase by £315,000 to £3,185,000 (nearly 11%) as enhanced profits are reinvested in The Festival's four-day format.
The two Grade One Novice Chases, the Irish Independent Arkle and the Royal & SunAlliance Chase, each get £30,000 boosts to reach £170,000, while £25,000 increases will lift the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup to £425,000, the Ryanair Chase to £175,000 and the Racing Post Plate to £100,000.
The Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Ladbrokes World Hurdle, Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle, JCB Triumph Hurdle and former Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle all go up by £20,000.
The remaining £60,000 is shared amongst nine races including £10,000 that puts the Weatherbys Champion Bumper on £50,000.
Announcing this financial injection into Jump Racing, Cheltenham's Managing Director Edward Gillespie said: "The sheer scale of these increases is unprecedented and could not have been achieved without generous uplifts in sponsorship and being able to plough back the benefit of extending The Festival.
"The new race average of more than £132,000 makes this the most valuable racing festival, even ahead of Royal Ascot."
Whilst record prize money looks certain to stimulate even greater interest from owners, there will be a premium on getting a run in the handicap hurdle races with safety figures being reduced from 30 to 28 and, for the National Hunt Chase, from 24 to 20 in line with the other novice chases.
After much debate, the reduction in field size will be the only change in the conditions for the National Hunt Chase, which at one time looked likely to revert to previous restrictions that excluded hurdle winners.
Explaining Cheltenham's decision to leave the four-mile race as a genuine novice chase, Edward Gillespie said: "The HRA report into the unacceptable number of fatalities at this year's Festival was unable to identify any specific causes but made a number of positive recommendations.
"We have discussed these with trainers and many other people both in Britain and Ireland and work is being progressed to further protect The Festival ground during fixtures from October to December. These measures include reducing safety figures at the December and January meetings to 16.
"A thorough analysis of the National Hunt Chase since this included hurdle winners in 2002 clearly shows that, while tragically all three horses killed this year would not have previously qualified, nor would 43% per cent of the winners and placed horses over the past five years.
"The change in the conditions has undoubtedly improved the quality of the race, as shown by the rise in the average rating from 122 to 132, and we feel it would be a retrograde step to return its conditions to exclude better horses.
"Expert opinion has consistently suggested we should address safety figures and the significant reduction by four in this race to bring it into line with the other three novice chases is wholly consistent with our long-term objective of continuing to attract and reward top quality contenders across the entire Festival.
"Also reducing the numbers in handicap hurdle races should have a beneficial effect on the lead-up to The Festival as it will be more competitive than ever for horses to just get a run"
The 2007 Festival runs from Tuesday, March 13, to Friday, March 16.
DYLAN THOMAS RECENTLY ENHANCES HIS CLAIM TO CARTIER HONOURS
Dylan Thomas leapt to the head of affairs for the 2006 Cartier Racing Award for three-year-old colts and threw down a challenge for Cartier Horse of the Year honours with a gutsy neck victory over Ouija Board (92 points) in the 10-furlong Group One Baileys Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday, September 9.
The Cartier Racing Awards, European horseracing's equivalent of the Oscars, are now in their 16th year, and honour the equine champions of the year, plus one person.
The coveted awards are revealed and presented after the end of the 2006 Flat season at the Four Seasons Hotel in Mayfair, London, England, on Wednesday, November 15.
The eight horse awards are determined by points earned in Pattern races combined with the opinions of a panel of racing journalists plus votes from readers of the Racing Post and The Daily Telegraph, a system which accurately rewards supreme excellence.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Dylan Thomas (100 points), successful in the Budweiser Irish Derby after finishing a close third in the Vodafone Derby, is currently clear of his Epsom conqueror, Sir Percy (72 points), who has not raced since, in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt category, courtesy of his battling Leopardstown triumph and earlier fourth to the four-year-old Notnowcato (64 points) in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.
Stormy River, runner-up to Librettist in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp over a mile on September 3, sits second in the division with 84 points, Stan James 2000 Guineas winner George Washington has 64 points after finishing third in the Group Two totesport Celebration Mile at Goodwood on August 27 and Boylesports Irish 2,000 Guineas victor Araafa is on 62 points.
Alexandrova (108 points) is head and shoulders above her peers in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Fillies' Award. Also trained by O'Brien - Ireland's champion trainer - she took on older horses for the first time in the Group One Darley Yorkshire Oaks at York on August 23 and scored an emphatic victory to complete the coveted English, Irish and Yorkshire Oaks treble.
The Alain de Royer Dupre-trained Mandesha (64 points) emerged as a possible challenger to Alexandrova's divisional supremacy with an impressive success in the Group One Prix Vermeille Lucien Barriere at Longchamp on Sunday, September 10. The victory saw the Zahra Aga Khan-owned filly draw level on points with Germance, who added to her Group One Montjeu Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary triumph with an easy win in the Group Three Darley Prix de la Nonette at Deauville on August 20.
The brilliant 2005 Cartier Horse of the Year, Hurricane Run, leads the Cartier Older Horse division with 96 points, four more than the Breeders' Cup bound 2004 Cartier Horse of the Year, Ouija Board.
The Andre Fabre-trained Hurricane Run narrowly failed to add to his superb record on September 10 in the Group Two Prix Foy Gray d'Albion Barriere at Longchamp, going down by a neck to stablemate Shirocco (64 points), but the pair are set to lock horns again in the Group One Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at the same course next month, a race which could determine the destination of at least one Cartier Racing Award.
Godolphin's Librettist (72 points), with the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on September 23 his next run and the Breeders' Cup Mile on the horizon, comes into the reckoning for the Cartier Older Horse Award after an unbeaten run of five so far this season, the latest in two French Group Ones, the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville on August 13 and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp on September 3.
Reverence (81 points) has blazed to the lead in the race for the Cartier Sprinter Award, and lies third in the older horse category, after taking a brace of Group Ones in quick succession when capturing the five-furlong VC Bet Nunthorpe Stakes at York on August 24, from Amadeus Wolf (40 points), followed by the Betfred Sprint Cup over six furlongs at Haydock nine days later.
The Eric Alston-trained five-year-old at the moment holds a definite advantage over fellow dual Group One winner Les Arcs (64 points), who is being aimed at Far-Eastern targets later in the season, and will bid to secure the title with victory in the Group One Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp in early October.
Yeats (64 points), imperious in the Ascot Gold Cup and ABN AMRO Goodwood Cup, is still the number one stayer, but the ever-popular Sergeant Cecil is making a bold bid for Cartier Stayer Award recognition and took his haul to 43 points with Group Two victories in the Weatherbys Insurance Lonsdale Cup at York in August and the GNER Doncaster Cup at the same course on September 8. The Rod Millman-trained seven-year-old may now bid for a Group One triumph in the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp in October.
The Cartier two-year-old categories are coming to life, and there is all still to play for with the big end of season juvenile prizes on the horizon.
Dutch Art and Holy Roman Emperor jointly head the Cartier Two-Year-old Colt standings with 48 points. The former, trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam, maintained his unbeaten record with a success in the Group One Darley Prix Morny at Deauville on August 20, while the O'Brien-trained Holy Roman Emperor took the Group One Independent Waterford Wedgwood Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on August 13.
Coventry Stakes winner Hellvelyn (32 points) was a length and three-quarters second in the Phoenix Stakes and is joint third in the division alongside Paul Cole's dual Group Two winner Strategic Prince, while the Kevin Ryan-trained Wi Dud is next best with 24 points following his deserved success in the Group Two Persimmon Homes Flying Childers Stakes at York on September 8.
Phoenix Stakes third Miss Beatrix holds the advantage in the Cartier Two-Year-old Filly category after subsequently capturing the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on August 27. The Kevin Prendergast-trained filly is 14 points clear of Jeremy Noseda's Simply Perfect, who was victorious over a mile in the Group Two Keepmoat May Hill Stakes at York on September 9.
The Noseda-trained Sander Camillo remains on 24 points, while Boccassini. Silk Blossom and Gilded each have 20 points.
Harry Herbert, Cartier's racing consultant, commented today: "The 2006 season is building towards a thrilling climax, with outstanding candidates vying for the ultimate accolade of Cartier Horse of the Year, including the past two winners, Hurricane Run and Ouija Board, alongside potential champions such as Dylan Thomas, Sir Percy, George Washington, Librettist, Alexandrova, Reverence, Shirocco, Yeats and David Junior.
"The top horses continue to produce tremendous performances and I am looking forward to the remaining Group and Grade One events, when questions of supremacy will be resolved, and claims for several Cartier Racing Awards will be made.
"The season to date has been excellent and there will undoubtedly be plenty more excitement to savour before the very best performers of 2006 are justly rewarded for their prowess at the Cartier Racing Awards in London in November."
For more information, please contact Harry Herbert, Cartier's racing consultant (01488 669166), Florence Paul of Cartier (020 7408 5738), Sarah Carlsen of Cartier (020 7408 5740) or Mark Popham of Racenews (020 7704 0326)
CARTIER AWARDS POINTS UPDATE TO SEPTEMBER 11, 2006
CARTIER THREE-YEAR- OLD COLT
DYLAN THOMAS 100
STORMY RIVER 84
SIR PERCY 72
GEORGE WASHINGTON 64
ARAAFA 62
CARTIER SPRINTER
REVERENCE 81
LES ARCS 64
AMADEUS WOLF 40
MARCHAND D'OR 32
BENBAUN 26
CARTIER STAYER
YEATS 64
SERGEANT CECIL 43
REEFSCAPE 30
MONTARE 24
LORD DU SUD 20
HRA CHIEF EXECUTIVE DR PETER WEBBON, ANNOUNCES HIS DEPARTURE
Dr Peter Webbon, the first Chief Executive of the Horseracing Regulatory Authority, has announced that he will be leaving the HRA to join the Animal Health Trust as Chief Executive. He will take up his new position on 1st January 2007.
Explaining the reasons for his departure, Peter said "Leading the new regulator through some fairly difficult times has been a real challenge and one I've thoroughly enjoyed. However, when the opportunity came to join the Animal Health Trust, an organisation I feel passionate about, it was simply too good an opportunity to turn down.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed working within racing, firstly with the Jockey Club and subsequently as Chief Executive of the HRA, and I think everyone at the HRA, both in the head office and on the racecourse, can be proud of what they've achieved in such a short space of time.
"I hope to continue to be involved in racing through my role at the Trust which I think has an important part to play as the scientific arm of racing."
After graduating from the Royal Veterinary College, Peter Webbon managed to combine his love for racing with his veterinary skills with his appointment as a Levy Board Research Training Scholar. He then became a lecturer in Radiology at the Royal Veterinary College prior to becoming the Senior Lecturer in Equine Medicine there from 1983-1996. During this time he also acted as the Director of the RVC's Sefton Equine Referral Hospital, a role which brought with it full responsibility for policy, clinical activities, rostering and budgetary control.
His achievements at the Jockey Club include playing the leading role for racing in 2001 by developing with DEFRA the conditions for which racing could continue amidst the Foot and Mouth epidemic and conceiving the successful annual Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding Seminar held at Cheltenham.
John Bridgeman, Chairman of HRA, said "Our loss is definitely the Trust's gain. We are sorry to be losing Peter but quite understand the reasons for his decision. We wish him every success in this challenging new role. Hopefully, he will continue to play an active role in racing and I am sure that ultimately this appointment could be beneficial to the racing industry as a whole.
"I would like to thank him for all his hard work and dedication in making the HRA such a success in such a short space of time."
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