Racing Victoria has today announced a series of enhancements to the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival, bolstering all Group One races for the carnival to a minimum of A$1 million in prizemoney.
There is also an A$1 million bonus to be paid to the winner of the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) run at weight-for-age for fillies and mares at Flemington on 30 October if they have won one of 12 selected races for the fairer sex.
Among them is the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), which was won by the Jamie Richards-trained Avantage.
The bonus is undoubtedly Victoria’s response to the prize money arms-race with New South Wales, with Randwick to host the inaugural running of the A$2 million The Invitation (1400m), a set weights and penalties event for fillies and mares just a week prior to the Empire Rose.
Richards is in the fortunate position of having a strong hand in the mares division, with multiple Group One winners Probabeel and Avantage plus emerging star Entriviere.
The latter is set to contest Saturday’s Gr.3 Toy Show Quality (1100m) with James McDonald to ride and is on a path to The Invitation.
“I guess it is a good incentive by Racing Victoria,” Richards said.
“It has always been the plan to possibly look at a race like the Empire Rose for Avantage and I guess that only enhances our focus on it a bit.”
With the winner of races like the Gr.2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1400m) also eligible for the million-dollar bonus should they prevail in the Empire Rose, Probabeel could potentially also qualify for the bonus.
Richards said there is plenty of depth in the fillies and mares ranks and is not getting ahead of himself.
“You only need to look at the nominations for the weekend for the Toy Show, there are some lovely mares around,” he said.
“It is going to create some good healthy competition.”
Prizemoney has also been increased for the Gr.3 Bart Cummings (2500m) – up from A$500,000 to A$750,000 plus a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption, plus the Gr.2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) – up from A$500,000 to A$1 million
