Incentives to attract N.Z. jumpers

Press, 28 February 1980, Page 24

Incentives to attract N.Z. jumpers

Special correspondent Auckland A South Australian racing i club is vying with Mel- ■ bourne to attract New Zea- ■ land’s best jumpers this , coming winter. i The Victoria Racing Club 1 has lifted prize money for both their Grand Nationals I this winter to $50,000. And a further inducement to New Zealand’s owners and trainers of jumpers has been put up by the Onkaparinga Rac- ; ing Club, on the outskirts of ■ Adelaide. A staunch supporter of jumpers, which are being squeezed out of so many racing programmes in Australia, Onkaparinga is putting up a cash bonus of $25,000 for a trainer who is able to win the three main jumping events at their meeting on April 5 and April 7. They are hopeful, they say, that a New Zealander or two will consider the trip. The three races are the $6OOO Von Doussa Steeplechase (3250 m on Saturday, April 5, and the $B5OO Young Hurdles (3600 m and $22,000 Great Easter Steeplechase (4950 m on Monday,. April 7. The cash bonus will be in addition to the 10 per cent which a trainer is entitled to receive out of the first prize in all three races. As a further encouragement the Onkaparinga club is offering a subsidy of $3OO to nominators of all runners in the Great Eastern Steeplechase except the first four home and of $lOO for all runners in the Von Doussa Steeplechase except the first four. Tire winning of the three nominated races by the one trainer is considered- ’ .by some shrewd racing mem in South Australia to be well possible. The two steeplechases have - already been won twice by the same horse in the one week-end..

Entries for the. Great Easter and the Young Hurdles close next Monday. For. all other events on March 27.