It’s one in a million! Hawkesbury Race Club will offer $1 million prizemoney at its 2014 Saturday stand-alone meeting on May 3 – becoming the first club in NSW outside Sydney to reach the magical mark.
The major fixture – firmly established as one of the best on the racing calendar – will boast three Group 3 events and every race will be worth at least $100,000.
Hawkesbury Race Club Directors approved chief executive Brian Fletcher’s recommendation to lift the prizemoney from $905,000 to $1million.
“It is a wonderful achievement for a provincial club to offer that sort of money for a single meeting,” Fletcher said. “Outside of the Gold Coast’s Magic Millions day in January, which is related to the annual yearling sales, I don’t think there is any other provincial club in Australia offering such huge money.
“This will be our ninth stand-alone meeting (the first was held in 2006) and we’re certainly very proud to be able to promote a million-dollar day this year. The club is also particularly proud of its community links which involve the general public, local business houses, local government, sporting clubs and charities and a very strong racing fraternity.”
Fletcher flagged the possibility of such a lucrative payday last May only days after last year’s stand-alone meeting, when more than 12,000 patrons attended.
“There’s a real chance we can make it happen,” he said at the time. He has been true to his word.
This year’s meeting will be highlighted by the three Group 3 features – all of which will carry prizemoney of $150,000. The Blacktown Workers Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) and Darley Crown (1300m) last September were upgraded to Group 3 status by the Australian Pattern Committee and have been joined by the Panthers Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m), which already held that status.
Hawkesbury tried the Cup in late August last year, moving it from its previous November date which coincided with Oaks day at Flemington, but justifiably feels the May stand-alone is a much better fit.
The club has boosted prizemoney for the Evergreen Turf Claret 2YO Stakes (1300m) from $100,000 to $125,000. Last year’s winner was crack colt Zoustar, and the club is hopeful the juvenile event will attain Listed status in the next 12 months.
Hawkesbury has added the name “Claret” to the event. The Claret Stakes was first run there in 1881 and run in the autumn until 1890 when owner, the Hon. J. White, won it on a remarkable seven successive occasions. That feat was almost matched by jockey T. Hales, who rode six successive winners for that owner between 1884-1889.
To complete the $1m day, Hawkesbury has added a new race, the $125,000 XXXX Gold Hawkesbury Rush Quality – an open sprint to be run over 1100m.
The 2014 program is:
. $150,000 Blacktown Workers Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) – last year’s winner Limes;
. $150,000 Panthers Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) – last year’s winner Coup Ay Tee;
. $150,000 Darley Crown (1300m) – last year’s winner Aerobatics;
. $125,000 Evergreen Turf Claret 2YO Stakes (1300m) – last year’s winner Zoustar;
. $125,000 XXXX Gold Hawkesbury Rush Quality (1100m);
. $100,000 Richmond Club Provincial Stayers Championship Final (2100m);
. $100,000 Blakes Marine Benchmark 80 Handicap (1500m);
. $100,000 Sweepstakes Benchmark 85 Handicap (1300m).
– Hawkesbury Race Club
