News

MORNINGTON takes steps to become major non-metropolitan Cup in Australia

6th Dec 2010

Letsgoracing - Media Release - Monday, 6 December 2010

The Committee of the Mornington Racing Club have announced two exciting new initiatives for the Mornington Cup that supports its intention to ensure the Mornington Cup is the premier non-metropolitan Cup in Australia.

From 2011 the Mornington Cup, which will be run on February 16 next year, will carry a total prize money purse of $300,000 (an increase of $100,000) and also importantly the winner will be afforded automatic entry into the 2011 BMW Caulfield Cup through ballot exemption.

In making the announcement, Chairman of the Mornington Racing Club Executive Committee, Mr Tony Hancy said that the changes are another example of the merger between the Mornington and the Melbourne Racing Clubs adding benefits to its stakeholders and Members. “We believe that the Mornington Cup is a race worthy of being directly linked to the Caulfield Cup and with the prize money increase and ballot exemption, we will ensure that we attract the best quality horses for both events and we see that as a positive in delivering a superior racing product to our racecourses for our Members which was a promise we made to Members during the merger process.

“Growing the status of the Mornington Cup is a key component of the overall strategy of the Mornington Committee and we are delighted that it has been supported by Racing Victoria Limited and the Melbourne Racing Club, led by Chairman Mike Symons and Chief Executive Officer Alasdair Robertson,” Hancy said.

The announcement, which follows a significant recent track renovation, now positions Mornington as a premier venue with a premier event during the Melbourne Festival of Racing – a feature period of thoroughbred racing in Victoria.

“We are thrilled with how the track is racing and the feedback from jockeys and trainers has been positive. We are also excited by how much the people of the Peninsula have indicated they will support us. We unfortunately had to re-schedule the Peninsula Cup a month or so ago due to excessive rainfall leading into the meeting and we still were able to attract over 9000 people so the signs are extremely encouraging.”

“There is an exciting period ahead for Mornington. The merger benefits are now clearly evident and we now know how important Mornington is to the partnership. Now our flagship race and race day is intrinsically linked to the BMW Caulfield Cup which is a great thing for our event.

“This increased prize money for the Mornington Cup now takes the day’s stakes level to $860,000 and we will now strive to make it a million dollar race day in the next year or two,” Hancy added.

“Twelve months ago a decision was made to move the $250,000 Inglis Premier from Caulfield on Futurity Stakes Day to Mornington Cup Day and that augers well for Mornington’s feature day and again is an example of the merger at work,” Hancy said

The Inglis Premier is the signature race for graduates from The Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, which is held during the peak of the Melbourne Festival Of Racing each year. Melbourne Premier Sale graduates to win the Blue Diamond Stakes include Reward For Effort and Alinghi, both shining examples of the calibre of two-year-olds eligible to contest The Inglis Premier leading into that race.

The new home for the Inglis Premier will now see it run 10 days prior to the Group 1 Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Stakes, on the eve of the yearling sale.

Mr Hancy added that the Club are in discussions with several prospective sponsors who are considering having their organisations name associated with the Mornington Cup.

“I have no doubt that these two key announcements will create great interest in the sponsorship of the 2011 Mornington Cup and beyond.”

MELBOURNE RACING CLUB MEDIA RELEASE