News

Prizemoney boost for Golden Mile raceday

25th Jul 2011

Bendigo Advertiser - Friday, 22 July 2011

BENDIGO Jockey Club’s reputation as the Nursery of Champions will be enhanced further next year when it hosts a “super meeting” as part of its Golden Mile raceday.

Racing Victoria Limited, Country Racing Victoria and the Bendigo Jockey Club yesterday announced that stakes of $770,000 would be on offer for Bendigo’s inaugural premier Saturday meeting on March 17.

The meeting will feature nine races and be headlined by the Golden Mile (1600m) which moves from its traditional spring home and more than doubles in prize money to $125,000.

The biggest prize pool though will be on offer in the Bendigo Guineas (1400m) for three-year-olds, with the race carrying a stake of $90,000 plus $80,000 in bonuses.

Premier thoroughbred sales company Inglis is offering a $50,000 bonus if the Guineas winner is a graduate of their sales, while the first three placegetters will share in $30,000 worth of Super VOBIS bonuses if qualified for Victoria’s lucrative breeding and racing incentive scheme.

Other features on Golden Mile raceday, which will replace the Melbourne metropolitan meeting, include the $90,000 Bendigo Gold Bracelet (1400m) for fillies and mares and the $75,000 Bendigo Gold 0-82 Stayers Final (2400m) for which heats will be held across the state.

RVL chief executive Rob Hines said the state’s racing body was pleased to develop and co-fund the program for the Golden Mile raceday, with the support of the BJC and CRV.

“With prizemoney and bonuses totalling $770,000 we believe the quality of racing will be exceptional and befitting the important spot that the Golden Mile raceday now holds on the Victorian racing calendar as a premier Saturday meeting,” Hines said.

“The program has been developed with an eye to the future and we believe it has the scope to grow in conjunction with the meeting which has been guaranteed a place within the Melbourne Festival of Racing for at least the next three years.

“The Golden Mile raceday will be the centrepiece of a weekend showcasing the many attractions of the City of Greater Bendigo and we are confident that this program of races and the prizemoney on offer will make it an outstanding event.”

BJC chief executive Ian Hart expected the meeting to generate significant interest.

“The stature of the Golden Mile feature race, together with the Bendigo Guineas and Golden Bracelet, give the meeting a number of key races that are sure to attract a great deal of interest from leading stables,” Hart said.

“We are hopeful that over time these events will develop to the point where black-type status will be a realistic goal.

“It will be our objective to increase prizemoney for all races on this day in future years and continue to build momentum for the meeting to be recognised as a must do event on the annual racing calendar.

“Our planning is progressing well for the meeting and we hope that trainers, both local and abroad, can start to consider the Golden Mile raceday as part of their autumn plans.”