Stake rise for final

Press, 31 August 1989, Page 41

Stake rise for final

By

JEFF SCOTT

This year’s Lion Brown Rising Stars Three-Year-Old Final, to be run by the Canterbury Park Trotting Club on Friday, October 20, is to be run for a stake of $70,000, it was announced last evening. Two lead-up heats, worth $12,000, will be run on Thursday, October 12, giving the over-all series total prizemoney of $94,000. “This is up $14,000 on last year and up 100 per cent, or $47,000, on the 1986 total,” said the president of the Canterbury Park club, Brian Hastings, when announcing the increase.

“It is six years since New Zealand Breweries first sponsored the Lion Brown Mobile Pace at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s October meeting, with the total stake being $7500,” said Mr Hastings. “My club, through the continued generous sponsorship of New Zealand Breweries, has ensured that this series has grown in stature with healthy increases since that time,” he said.

The Lion Brown Rising Stars Three-Year-Old Final was first given

Group Three status in 1986 when the stake was worth $30,000. Last year, with the stake for the final increased to $60,000, the race was accorded Group Two status.

“My club is looking forward to this major race on the three-year-old calendar becoming a Group One race in the near future,” said Mr Hastings. Last year’s upset winner, Viewfield King, holds the 2000 m mobile race record at 2:28.06, while earlier winners of the coveted event have been Dillon Dean, Race Ruler, Laser Lad, Nardin’s Hall and Logan Dryham. "Some tremendous finals have been witnessed at Addington Raceway and this year’s final promises to be no exception,” added Mr Hastings.

Last season’s Two-Year-Old Pacer of the Year, Honkin Vision, is expected to be a leading contender, while the Club is anticipating a strong North Island contingent heading south for the race, including the powerful Roy and Barry Purdon-trained stablemates, Mark Hanover and The Unicorn.