Horse Racing $4 million Queen Elizabeth headlines Sydney's revamped $18m carnival as Murray Baker says: "Count me in"
"We'll be going for it,'' said Baker, who will definitely have no shortage of rivals in town next autumn after officials unveiled arguably the biggest Sydney carnival shake-up ever.
Dubbed The Championships, the two Saturday meetings - to be run on April 12 and April 19 at Randwick - will feature eight Group 1s, headed by the Queen Elizabeth, with a staggering $18.2 million prizemoney up for grabs.
But one question punters will be asking this morning is why the Queen Elizabeth - and not the time-honoured Doncaster Mile - was given top billing?
While the Doncaster jumps from $2 million to $3 million in prizemoney, the Queen Elizabeth rocketed from what now seems a paltry $500,000 to $4 million.
Racing NSW chairman John Messara said it wasn't an easy decision to promote the Queen Elizabeth ahead of the Doncaster, which was first run in 1866.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal there was even discussion of going higher with a $5 million purse for the Queen Elizabeth.
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"It wasn't an easy decision because the Doncaster is a time-honoured race, but the 2000m is a world-accepted distance,'' Messara said.
"The Doncaster, being a handicap, mitigates against the international horses coming here, and while I think we'll get some for the race, I think they'll be nervous about what weight they'll be allocated.
"It's the richest race over that distance on any ground in the world.
"And it's one race that will produce the most competitive field over time - it will produce an international field over time.''
Other key carnival factors from yesterday's huge announcement include:
PRIZEMONEY for the Sydney Cup will be raised from $500,000 to $1 million;
THE Queen Of The Turf is being transferred from the Golden Slipper meeting to be run two weeks later, with the distanced increased by 100m to 1600m;
THE Australian Oaks will also carry a $1 million purse;
RANDWICK'S Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m), which Black Caviar won in her last-ever race start last April, will receive a bumper rise in prizemoney from $1 million to $2.5 million.
BIG lead-up races, including the George Ryder Stakes, will be worth $1 million, the Chipping Norton Stakes ($500,000), and the Randwick Guineas $600,000; and
MINIMUM prizemoney for black-type races in the metropolitan area from February 1 to April 30 will carry a minimum $125,000 prizemoney for Listed races, $150,000 for Group 3 races, and $175,000 for Group 2 features.
The first day of The Championships will be held the week after Sydney's previous richest race, the Group 1 $3.5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens, while the second day falls on Easter Saturday.
NSW racing minister George Souris said the $18.2 million two-weekend spectacular will help inject $41 million into the local economy.
The Daily Telegraph can also reveal if an international does travel Down Under, they'll be quarantined 1000km away at Werribee, not at Canterbury.
"Canterbury is off-limits because it will take a lot of capital expenditure to get it up to scratch for new quarantine protocols,'' Messara said.
"We've made arrangements with Racing Victoria to make Werribee available to us. In the next couple of years we'll build a quarantine facility adjoining one of our provincial tracks, which we're working on that at moment.''
Owner Neil Werrett made a beeline for trainer Chris Waller at yesterday's launch and made sure he put the Queen Elizabeth at he the top of the autumn agenda for Foreteller.
Waller, who won this year's Doncaster and Queen Elizabeth with Sacred Falls and Reliable Man, agreed with the decision to pump up the latter race. He added the Doncaster winner had the chance to run in the Queen Elizabeth a week later.
THE CHAMPIONSHIPS RACE PROGRAM
Saturday, April 12, 2014 - BMW Derby Day
Group 1 The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) $3,000,000
Group 1 Darley TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) $2,500,000
Group 1 BMW Australian Derby (2400m) $2,000,000
Group 1 Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) $1,000,000
Group 2 Schweppes Chairman's Quality (2600m) $300,000
Group 3 TAB Adrian Knox Stakes (GR3) $200,000
Group 3 Ticketek Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) $200,000
Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) $200,000
Group 3 Bacardi Together Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) $200,000
Saturday total: $9,600,000
Saturday, April 19, 2014 - Schweppes Sydney Cup Day
Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) $4,000,000
Group 1 Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) $1,000,000
Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) $1,000,000
Group 1 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m) $1,000,000
Group 2 Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m) $500,000
Group 3 Princess Stakes (1200m) $500,000
Group 2 Drummond Golf Sapphire Stakes (1200m) $300,000
Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) $150,000
Listed Toga Fernhill Handicap (1600m) $150,000
Saturday total: $8,600,000
TOTAL PRIZEMONEY: $18.2 million
AUSTRALIA'S RICHEST RACES
Group 1 Melbourne Cup $6.2m, Melbourne
Group 1 Queen Elizabeth $4m, Sydney
Group 1 Golden Slipper $3.5m, Sydney
Group 1 W.S Cox Plate $3m, Melbourne
Group 1 The Doncaster $3m, Sydney
Group 1 Caulfield Cup $2.5m, Melbourne
Group 1 T.J Smith $2.5m, Sydney
Group 1 Australian Derby $2m, Sydney
Group 1 Magic Millions 2YO $2m, Gold Coast
THE INTERNATIONAL CONTENDERS
Treve (Fr)
Novellist (Ire)
Toronado (Ire)
Magician( Ire)
Mull Of Killough (Ire)
Orfevre (Jap)
Side Glance (GB)
Mucho Macho Man (USA)
Wise Dan (USA) By Nevel
