News

Lights on at Money Valley

26th Jul 2010

Herald Sun - Adrian Dunn - Sunday, 25 July 2010

MOONEE Valley Racing Club has taken its commitment to night racing to new heights with its announcement of a lucrative program.

Headlining the club's expanded pledge to racing under lights is almost $11 million in prizemoney spread over 18 night race dates.

For the first time, Moonee Valley will hold two Group 1 races - the Manikato Stakes and William Reid Stakes - at night.

Other highlights packaged in the club announcement include:

A LUXURY car valued at $75,000 for a trainer whose horses win more than $1 million in prizemoney at the night meetings.

A $30,000 cash prize for the jockey whose mounts win more than $1 million in prizemoney at the night meetings.

INTRODUCTION of a season-long 55-Second Challenge, in which the fastest horse over the new 955m distance will win its trainer a $55,000 car and jockey a $10,000 watch.

A DIFFERENT timeslot for the Alister Clark Stakes.

A BONUS worth $85,000 for the trainer whose horse can win the Alister Clark-Cox Plate double.

NEW Year's Eve post-races concert.

TEN black-type races over the nine feature night meetings.

RIDE of the night, voted by TVN broadcasters, will carry a minimum $500 gift.

CANTERBURY to hold nine night meetings in conjunction with Moonee Valley.

MVRC chief executive Michael Browell said the decision to bolster night meetings with 10 black-type races was evidence of the club's commitment to racing under lights.

Browell said the club had re-aligned several of its autumn features to fit in with the revamped carnival across all clubs.

He said the Alister Clark Stakes had received a $100,000 injection to take its prizemoney to $300,000 and had been moved to the night of March 18.

It provides Cadbury Guineas horses with a back-up as well as providing an eight-day lead-in to the Rosehill Guineas.

Accompanying the Alister Clark meeting is the $100,000 St Albans Stakes that will give horses a lead-in to the Golden Slipper.

Moonee Valley's night racing season concludes with the Group 1 William Reid Stakes, which is now programmed between the Newmarket Handicap and the T.J. Smith Stakes at Randwick.

Browell said the growth of night racing, which will have "the nights will come alive" theme, was supported by Racing Victoria, which worked with the club on its strategy.

Night racing has soared from the 2006-07 season when it carried prizemoney of $3.2 million, to next season when it would be worth $10.7 million.

Browell said the club had dared to be different and, with a host of new industry-based reward packages, it was well positioned to cement night racing as its core business.

While this and next year's Cox Plate will be run during the afternoon as part of contractual obligations with Tatts, the race is odds-on to shift to an evening from 2012.

Browell said the prizemoney on offer at night meetings was broken down to $9.5 million from the club with an additional $1.2 million coming from the owners and breeders incentive scheme Super VOBIS.

"It was only a couple of years ago when the entire night season carried $3.2 million in prizemoney. We've really got behind it with the 10 black-type races," Browell said.

Analysis undertaken by both Moonee Valley and RVL revealed whenever Moonee Valley raced at night preceded by a country day meeting there was an incremental wagering benefit to the industry of $2.2 million.

The bottom line increased considerably when the club held a feature race meeting.

2010-11 MOONEE VALLEY NIGHT SEASON

BLACK-TYPE RACES

Friday 24 September

$500,000 Group 1 WFA Manikato Stakes (1200m)

$200,000 Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m)

$150,000 Group 3 Champagne Stakes (1200m) $200,000 Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m)

Friday 28 January

$200,000 Group 2 WFA Australia Stakes (1200m)

Friday 25 February

$100,000 Listed Fillies Plate (1200m)

Friday 4 March

$200,000 Group 2 Fillies Classic (1600m)

Friday 18 March

$300,000 Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m)

$100,000 Listed St Albans Stakes (1200m)

Friday 25 March

$500,000 Group 1 WFA William Reid Stakes (1200m)

$200,000 Group 2 WFA Sunline Stakes (1600m)

Other dates: October 1, 29; Nov 12, 26; Dec 3, 10, 17; Jan 14; Feb 4, 11, 18.