Wrightson now richest sprint

Press, 17 December 1985, Page 36

Wrightson now richest sprint

PA ■ Wellington The Wrightson Handicap, to be raced at Trentham on January 18, is. now the richest sprint in the country. Known up to three years ago as the Telegraph, the sprint (1200 m has been given a $25,000 boost to make it worth $75,000, putting it clearly ahead of the Railway, Auckland’s major sprint, valued at $52,500 for its running on New Year’s Day at Ellerslie. _ The 1985 Wrightson had been earlier advertised at $50,000. Last season the race was worth $42,000, so in fact with a $33,000 lift it has almost doubled.

New Zealand’s racing calendar has just three Group One sprints. They are the Railway and the Wrightson, both of 1200 m, and the Lion Brown Sprint at Te Rapa in February of 1400 m. In terms of stakes, the Wellington race was the

lowest of the three before last season, the three previous runnings of the race were worth $20,000, $25,000 and $32,000. The last four runnings of the Railway have been $40,000, $42,000, $52,500 and $52,500 again. The Lion Brown Sprint reached $50,000 this year, following runnings at $31,200, $31,140 and $40,000. The announcement makes the sprint quite easily the richest race on the programme. • The other major races on the first day are the $30,000 Trentham Stakes ($25,000 last season), the $30,000 Ra Ora Stud Stakes (22,500) and

the $20,000 Terracy Regency Hotel Handicap, the same stake as last year. In addition, the Wellington Racing Club has put a basic stake of $5OOO on all the minor races run at Trentham over the cup meeting.