NSW SPENDING SPREE OFF AGAIN

Prize money increasing again in NSW

Racing New South Wales have dug deep in the pockets in recent years and the spending spree shows no signs of slowing down after they announced the introduction of two new races which will be headlined by a new $2m Melbourne Cup Day feature.

The announcement came early on Wednesday with Racing NSW confirming a cash injection across the states industry including a new Melbourne Cup Day race called “The Big Dance” worth $2m in prize money.

The new cup day feature will take place at Royal Randwick over the famous mile stretch and be restricted to horses that contest one of the 25 selected country cups over the season.

Also added to the schedule is a $2m event called the Five Diamonds. The race is specific to five year olds over 1800m and continues the theme of tempting trainers to continue running promising two and three year olds through there fourth and now fifth years of racing. 

The race will take place the same day as the $1m Golden Gift on November 5th. To boost entries the Craven Plate at Group 3 level has been reduced from 2000m to 1800m to create a springboard into the race.

Whilst these new races have been added to the calendar The Bondi Stakes has been cut from the schedule with the mile event for three year olds to be discontinued.

It will be replaced by the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes, which has been renamed the Callander-Presnell - recognising legendary Sydney media identities Ken Callander and Max Presnell - and will be held on October 22 at Randwick under the same conditions as the Bondi Stakes.

A new $500,000 lead up event over 1400m will be run a fortnight earlier at Randwick known as the Tapp-Craig, in honor of race calling greats John Tapp and Ian Craig.

As well as racing, Warwick Farm is set to receive $6m in funding to bring a significant upgrade to the racetrack with the course proper undergoing surface re-levelling, cambering of turns, drainage and irrigation works that will improve the competitiveness of racing and the performance of the track during wet weather.