Racing Victoria adds $1 million mares' bonus, bumps Group 1 prizemoney

Written by Bren O'Brien

Racing Victoria has returned fire in the escalating spring prizemoney and scheduling battle, confirming all Group 1 races for the spring will be worth at least $1 million, while putting up a $1 million bonus incentive for mares and fillies to target the G1 Empire Rose S.

Racing NSW recently announced a ramping up of its spring programming, with the establishment of a new $2 million The Invitation race for fillies and mares on October 23, plus a major boost in prizemoney for the G1 George Main S. and G2 Hill S.

The Invitation is scheduled at Randwick seven days before the running of the lone Group 1 spring fillies and mares' race, the Empire Rose S. at Flemington, and has been seen as a major challenge to the primacy of that race.

Racing Victoria has now responded with a salvo of its own, with a $1 million bonus on offer for any mare or filly which has won any of 12 specific lead-up races and is able to claim the $1 million Empire Rose S. as well.

The prizemoney of five other Group 1 races, the Memsie S., the Makybe Diva S., the Sir Rupert Clarke S., the Underwood S. and the Turnbull S., has been boosted from $750,000 to $1 million, while the G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup has also had its prizemoney raised to $1 million, and the G3 Bart Cummings to $750,000.

The overall increase totals around $3 million, taking total prizemoney and bonuses on offer for the 2021 Victorian Spring Racing Carnival past $110 million.

“The Victorian Spring Racing Carnival is an iconic global event that has served to grow thoroughbred racing in Australia for the benefit of the sport nationally through a history of unparalleled attendances, wagering, international participation and media exposure, " Racing Victoria Chairman Brian Kruger said in a statement.

“These enhancements unashamedly seek to ensure that the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival remains a destination event, one that continues to pit our very best equine athletes against one another for some of this nation’s most coveted prizes. We are also strong believers in the importance of the Australian Racing Pattern to the long-term future of Australian racing and its many stakeholders.

“Our goal is to excite racing fans and punters by compiling the best fields possible and to reward those owners and trainers who support the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival and our iconic Group 1 races."

There are now 21 races in Victoria between August 28 and November 6 which are worth $1 million or more, while there are 12 in New South Wales across a similar time period, highlighted by Australia's richest race, The Everest, which is worth $15 million.

The majority of those races in New South Wales, including The Everest, do not carry black-type status, with Racing Australia having not approved any significant change to The Pattern of Group and Listed races since 2018.

The $1 million bonus for the G1 Empire Rose S. winner will be applied if they have won one of the following races for fillies and mares in 2021: