Stakes up by $43,000 for Grand National meeting

Press, 31 May 1985, Page 23

Stakes up by $43,000 for Grand National meeting

Prize money at the Grand National meeting this year has received a substantial boost. During the three-day carnival the Canterbury Jockey Club will distribute $234,000 in stakes, a 23 per cent rise on last year’s figure of $191,000. The club secretary, Mr Malcolm Aim, said yesterday that the two feature races for jumpers on the first day of the meeting, the Koral Steeplechase and the Sydenham Hurdles, would each be worth $3500 more this year. The stake for the ’chase has gone up to $13,500 and the hurdlers will comnete for a stake of

$lO,OOO. The principal flat race on the first day, the Amalgamated Packaging Handicap, has been increased by $lOOO to $13,000. Stakes for all of the supporting races on the firstday programme have been raised by $lOOO. These rises are due, in part, to the increased level of New Zealand Racing Authority stake subsidies for the new season. The Couplands Grand National Hurdles, the feature event on the second day, will be worth $23,500, a

lift of $6OOO on the prize money offered for this race last year. Stakes for the two feature races on the third day, the Grand National Steeplechase and A.I.C. International Winter Cup, have been raised by $5OOO and $2500 respectively. The ’chase this year will be worth $35,000 and the metric milers will compete for $32,500. Stakes for all the other races on the second and third days have been increased by varying amounts, but the individual rises will be no less than $5OO.