$500,000 The Coast race at new stand-alone Saturday meeting at The Entertainment Grounds
The Entertainment Grounds boss Daniel Lacey is hoping their million dollar Saturday race meeting will provide wider economic benefit.
Central Coast
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Gosford Race Club has secured a new $500,000 race for its inaugural Saturday stand-alone meeting on May 9.
Racing NSW has thrown its considerable weight behind the day – similar to the inaugural The Hunter and The Gong stand-alones at Newcastle and Kembla Grange respectively late last year – by putting the new The Coast race on the program.
The Coast will be run as a 1600m handicap for three and four-year-olds. Pair that with the $250,000 Gosford Gold Cup and $150,000 Takeover Target Stakes, both carrying Listed status, along with five supporting races of $125,000 each and a $75,000 TAB Highway (a 1200m Class 3 Handicap for NSW country and ACT-trained horses), and you have a $1.6 million nine-race program that is bound to attract trainers and owners from far and wide.
Club chief executive Daniel Lacey said the economic benefit would be felt throughout the coast in the lead up to this event
“From a racing viewpoint, it’s pretty big. But it is much more than that,” he said.
“Tamworth is famous for its Country Music Festival and Parkes for its Elvis Festival. With the right support, we have an opportunity to create an annual event for the Central Coast region.
“The Central Coast, of course, is great for tourism and now there is the chance to develop our race day into an annual event which becomes synonymous with the area.”
The Entertainment Grounds will be introducing two new experiences on track on the day. The Skyline marquee, elevated to provide a bird’s eye view of the track and an infield Gold Rush festival featuring everything from pop-up bars and food trucks to a surprise DJ act performing on top of a two-storey container.
Pre-sale tickets and hospitality packages are available online.
Details: theentertainmentgrounds.com.au