Prizemoney Increases In Adelaide

Thursday, 28 July 2011 01:28

Thoroughbred Racing SA have announced major prizemoney increases for some of South Australia’s most prestigious races.

Next year’s renewal of the Group 1 Goodwood (1200m) will be worth $500,000 while the South Australian Derby (2500m) will be worth $450,000.

Most notably is the fact the 2012 South Australian Racing carnival will be more compressed as compared to previous years.

“We identified this three-week window in the Australian racing calendar and have worked to bring together the majority of our biggest and best races into one exciting Carnival,” said TRSA CEO Jim Watters.

The first week of the carnival will be 'Ladies Day' on April 28, featuring the Group 1 Sportingbet Classic  (1200m) – also known as Robert Sangster Stakes – as well as the Group 1 Schweppes Australasian Oaks (2000m) and Group 2 Queen Of The South (1600m).

'Derby Day' will follow on May 5 when the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m) is held along with the Listed Adelaide Guineas (1600m) and Listed Oaklands Plate (1600m) for two-year-olds.

The carnival will conclude with ‘Super Saturday’ with the Group 1 Goodwood (1200m) and three races at Group 3 level including the RA Lee Stakes (1600m) and SA Fillies Classic (2500m).

“The eyes of the nation will be on South Australian racing for that period and we believe that will generate great interest, excitement and investment from all over Australia, with total prizemoney of $3.5M over the three days,” Watters added.

The 2012 edition of the Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) will be held on March 12 but a switch to May seems inevitable.

“Obviously, our preference – and that of Thoroughbred Racing SA– would be to have the Adelaide Cup as the culmination of that Carnival, and we will continue to work towards that outcome,” said SAJC Executive Officer Brenton Wilkinson.

“With the support of trainers both locally and interstate, we’re extremely confident the Autumn Carnival will be a huge success.”

TRSA also announced an increase of $548,000 in prizemoney for standard metropolitan Saturday race meetings.

The increase, which takes effect from the start of next season, will mean that prizemoney for current $32,000 races will be increased to $34,000 while ratings banded ‘68+ races’ will increase from the current $32,000 to $40,000.

“Today’s increase follows significant growth in prizemoney with metropolitan stakes increasing by 50% across all categories, Group and Listed prizemoney increasing by 24% and all other classes up by 66% over the last three years,” Watters said.

2012 Adelaide Feature Race Calendar

February 4 @ Morphettville - Listed Queen Adelaide Stakes (1050m) & Rain Lover Plate (1800m)

Feb 18 @ Morphettville - Listed Birthday Cup (2000m, was 1800m)

Feb 25 @ Morphettville Parks - Listed Redelva Stakes, 3yo (1000m)

March 3 @ Morphettville - Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes (2600m)

March 12 @ Morphettville - Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m), Group 2 Yallambee Classic 3yo (1200m), Listed CS Hayes Quality (1600m) 3yo&Up, Listed Pewsey Vale 2yoF (1050m)

March 24 @ Morphettville Parks - Listed Matrice Stakes (1300m, was 1200m)

March 31 @ Morphettville - Group 3 Breeders' Stakes (1200m)

April 7 @ Oakbank - Listed Oakbank Stakes (1100m)

April 9 @ Oakbank - Oakbank Cup (2150m)

April 14 @ Morphettville - Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes WFA (1100m), Group 3 Auraria Stakes (1800m) & Listed Port Adelaide Guineas (1800m)

April 21 @ Morphettville Parks - Group 3 SA Sires' Produce (1400m), Listed City Of Adelaide (1400m), Listed HC Nitschke Stakes (1400m).

April 28 @ Morphettville - Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes F&M (1200m), Group 1 Australasian Oaks 3yoF (2000m) Group 2 Queen Of The South F&M (1600m), Group 3 DC McKay (1100m), Group 3 Chairman's Stakes 3yoC&G (2000m), Dequettville Stakes (1100m).

May 5 @ Morphettville - Group 1 SA Derby (2500m), Listed Adelaide Guineas (1600m), Listed Oaklands Plate (1600m), Provincial Super Series (1600m).

May 12 @ Morphettville - Group 1 Goodwood (1200m), Group 3 RA Lee Stakes (1600m), Group 3 SA Fillies Classic (2500m), Group 3 The Jansz (1200m), Listed Proud Miss (1200m), Listed Centaurea Stakes (2000m)

May 19 @ Morphettville - Listed Manihi Stakes (1100m)

Picture: Jenny Barnes