Inglis Millennium winner to earn Golden Slipper boost
The Inglis Millennium, the nation’s second richest race for two-year-olds, will carry an added bonus for the winner from next year.
Racing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Inglis Millennium, the nation’s second richest race for two-year-olds, will count toward qualification for the Group 1 Golden Slipper from next year.
The Australian Turf Club and Inglis have reached a significant agreement making the Millennium the first auction house-restricted juvenile race to have a portion of its prizemoney included in the official Golden Slipper order of entry.
The Inglis Millennium has total stakes of $2 million – equal with the Magic Millions and second only to the $3.5 million Golden Slipper – with the winner earning $1.16 million but under the new agreement, only $69,500 of the winner’s prizemoney counts towards the Golden Slipper ballot. This is the equivalent of winning a Sydney Listed two-year-old race.
The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here!
“This is something we have been working toward since even before the inaugural Inglis Millennium had been run and with the hard work of the ATC and Racing NSW, this is a great result for all breeders, owners, trainers and overall racing participants,’’ Inglis managing director Mark Webster said.
“The Inglis Millennium has already announced itself as one of Australia’s primary 2YO races and a key lead-up to the Golden Slipper, Inglis Sires and Champagne Stakes, and the fact a portion of the prizemoney will now be treated as official qualification for the Slipper is a fantastic outcome.
“Prizemoney from the Inglis Banner at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day has long counted toward qualification for the Blue Diamond so it is fantastic we now have a similar situation in NSW for the Millennium and the Slipper, the state’s two biggest juvenile races.’’
Castelvecchio won the inaugural Inglis Millennium last year and although he didn’t contest the Golden Slipper, he trained onto run third in the Sires then won the Champagne Stakes.
Prime Star won the Millennium in February but then suffered a leg injury which ruled him out of the autumn carnival.
The Millennium has been run both times at Warwick Farm but it was revealed on Wednesday the race will be permanently shifted to Royal Randwick from next year. These initiatives were part of a number of alterations to the revamped $6 million Inglis Race Series, including:
#Confirmation the Inglis Millennium will remain at $2m prizemoney and the Inglis 3yo Sprint at $1 million for next year, despite the implications of COVID-19.
#The Inglis Sprint will be moved to Flemington from 2022, to be contested on Australian Guineas Day during the autumn carnival.
#The introduction of the $250,000 Inglis Bracelet, a race for fillies and mares over 1600m at Flemington on Oaks Day during Melbourne Cup Week.
#The 2YO Inglis Challenge at Scone will have its prizemoney doubled to $200,000 from 2021 and be open to all yearlings sold at Scone, the Highway Session at Inglis Classic, the Showcase Session at Inglis Premier, the Melbourne Gold Sale and online through Inglis Digital.
The $6 million Inglis Race Series for 2020 graduates is open to all horses which have been offered for sale at this year’s Classic, Premier or Easter Sales, and other selected Inglis sales.
Meanwhile, boom sprinter Classique Legend has drawn the outside barrier in gate 13 but remains TAB Fixed Odds favourite at $2.60 favourite for the Listed $150,000 Bob Charley AO June Stakes (1100m).
Sydney’s spring racing riches to remain
Sydney’s showpiece spring racing carnival will go ahead as scheduled with no cuts to feature race prizemoney including the $15 million The TAB Everest.
And minimum race prizemoney will return to pre-COVID-19 levels from July 1 as Racing NSW chairman Russell Balding said it was important the racing industry is “able to move forward with confidence”
After a lengthy board meeting, Balding made the significant announcements on Monday to provide racing industry participants with some certainty for the new racing season.
Many of the nation’s elite racehorses are returning to training in the next week or two with trainers and owners needing certainty around spring carnival race dates.
There remains speculation in Victoria that the Melbourne spring carnival could be altered with the possibility of moving the Caulfield Cup until later in November to avoid a clash with the AFL Finals Series.
But Racing NSW has made a pro-active decision to confirm spring carnival race dates and restore prizemoney levels from July 1.
“The confirmation of racing dates enables industry participants to move forward with certainty. Trainers and owners can now properly plan the racing preparations for their horses,’’ Balding said.
“Restoration of prizemoney levels to their pre-COVID-19 levels, to be distributed to the industry participants who continued to put on racing during COVID-19, enables those participants to plan their future with confidence.
“Collectively, the industry has done a great job at ensuring that racing has continued during these uncertain times. Industry participants across all sectors complied with the very strict and successful bio-security measures adopted by Racing NSW, which were critical to enabling racing to continue during COVID-19.
“This in turn meant that wagering turnover, which is the main source of funding for prizemoney, was not as adversely impacted as initially feared, such that Racing NSW is in the financial position to be able to restore prizemoney levels much sooner than expected.’’
Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller said the racing industry has “put on a good show” and operated safely during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’ve never been so proud to work in the racing industry as I have been in the last two months or so,’’ Waller said.
“We have followed the guidelines which has allowed the industry to continue and keep people in jobs.
“When the prizemoney for The Championships was reduced by 50 per cent and for other races by 20 per cent, no one in the industry complained.
“Everyone in racing has had to take significant pay cuts, just like most Australians, but this is great news that Racing NSW has made these announcements and is getting our sport back to normal.’’
Balding said The TAB Everest would be run as scheduled at Royal Randwick on October 17 and the $7.5 million Golden Eagle is set for Rosehill Gardens on October 31.
The second running of The Hunter (Newcastle, November 14) and The Gong (Kembla Grange, November 21), both with prizemoney of $1 million, will bring close Sydney’s spring carnival.
REINSTATEMENT OF PRIZEMONEY LEVELS
From 1 July 2020, the following prizemoney levels will apply:
Metropolitan Saturdays – Restored from $100,000 to $125,000
Metropolitan Midweek – Restored from $45,000 to $50,000
Highway Races – Restored from $67,500 to $75,000
Provincial Races - Restored from $31,500 to $35,000
Country Showcase Races – Restored from $27,000 to $30,000
Country TAB Races – Restored from $20,000 to $22,000
Originally published as Inglis Millennium winner to earn Golden Slipper boost
Ryan colt set to show best after failed Queensland trip
Trainer Gerald Ryan is confident youngster Blitzburg can bounce back at Rosehill on Saturday after missing out on the Magic Millions.
Best bets and inside mail for Canterbury on Friday
Trainer Ron Quinton can win at Canterbury on Friday night with Signor Tortini in the colours of Hall of Fame members.