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Prize-Money Boost for Newbury

Newbury Racecourse will offer a 16% increase in its prize-money for Flat and jump races throughout 2023 to £6.06 million, the racecourse announced on Tuesday.

With a further increase planned for next year, the upturn in funding is largely through a record executive contribution by the racecourse of £3.1 million, which has increased by £650,000 from 2022.

The G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. and The BetVictor London Gold Cup Handicap S. will both feature in the World Pool programme of races this year, representing the first time that Newbury has been involved in this lucrative venture. The latter will be run for £100,000 and the Lockinge meeting will increase by £95,000 and feature a new £75,000 handicap over a mile.

Furthermore, six novice and maiden races between April and September will carry a total prize fund between £30,000 and £50,000. Midweek National Hunt cards will receive an average of £20,000 in additional funding and all Grade 2 races will be worth £10,000 more than the minimum value.

“We are pleased to be able to announce a 16% increase in prize-money with a record executive contribution for the forthcoming 2023 season,” said Julian Thick, Chief Executive of Newbury Racecourse. “The financial challenges for horseracing and its participants are considerable, but we remain confident in the future of the racecourse and are happy to make this valuable investment at a time when racing needs it most. As an independent PLC we must run the racecourse on a sustainable basis and this year sees the largest amount the racecourse has ever invested in prize-money, with £3.1 million in executive contribution which represents a 26% uplift. We are extremely grateful to our sponsors and partners who continue to support Newbury and have helped us boost the prize-money on offer.”

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Joseph O’Brien Quintet Bound For Sydney Autumn Carnival

Trainer Joseph O'Brien intends to send a string of five horses to compete Down Under at the Sydney Autumn Carnival, Racing.com reported on Tuesday.

The quintet, which consists of G3 Ballyroan S. runner-up Cleveland (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), winner Temple Of Artemis (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), triple group winner and Group 1-placed Baron Samedi (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), G3 Irish St. Leger Trial hero Raise You (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Statement (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), who won the G3 Concorde S., are supposed to be among the nominations–released later in the day–for The Championships at Royal Randwick on Apr. 1 and Apr. 8.

Intended for the A$2-million G1 Sydney Cup over 3200 metres are Cleveland and Temple Of Artemis, both part-owned by the Williams family of G1 Melbourne Cup fame, as well as Baron Samedi. Raise You is also likely for the Sydney Cup, but has also proven effective over slightly shorter trips. Statement is targeting the A$600,000 G1 Coolmore Classic on Mar. 11, followed by the A$1-million G1 Queen of the Turf over a mile on Apr. 8.

“Cleveland will either run in the [G1] Tancred [S. on Mar. 25] ahead of the Sydney Cup, or straight into the Sydney Cup. We'll play that by ear,” Nick Williams told Racing.com. “By all reports he's in terrific form at home, his two runs for us have been nothing but outstanding.

“His last run for us at the Curragh, the Irish Cesarewitch, we gave the winner Waterville (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) plenty of weight (8kg).

“Whilst if he were to run in the Tancred, he'd be out of the weights, but it wouldn't surprise me if he was to run well.”

Prior to his Sydney Cup attempt, if he gets into the field, Temple Of Artemis is aiming for the A$200,000 G3 N.E. Manion Cup over 2400 metres at Rosehill on Mar. 18 or if not, the A$300,000 G2 Chairman's Quality going 2600 metres on Apr. 1.

“He was a very immature 3-year-old and we gelded him late last year,” Williams said. “Joseph tells me he's taken several steps forward, he's a work in progress. He is rated 96 over in Ireland, it will take a bit of work to get him into the Sydney Cup, but you never know.

“He's an exciting stayer for the future and he's a brother to [2015 G1] Gold Cup runner-up Kingfisher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).”

They will enter quarantine this week, and will arrive in Sydney on Feb. 25, alongside the William Haggas-trained foursome of Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}), Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), Earl Of Tyrone (Ire) (Australia {GB}), and Protagonist (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).

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Tattersalls Maintains Sponsorship Of Irish Guineas Festival

Tattersalls will continue sponsoring the Irish Guineas Festival and the three associated Group 1 races, the Curragh Racecourse announced on Tuesday.

The sponsorship, which was extended an additional three years from 2023-2025, sees the €500,000 G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas, €500,000 G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, and G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup-with increased prize-money of €450,000–set to be contested at the Curragh during the three-day festival from May 26-28, 2023.

Edmond Mahony, Chairman Tattersalls, said, “The Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival is one of the premier fixtures not only of the Irish racing calendar, but also of the wider European Flat racing scene and we are proud to have the Tattersalls name associated with such an important weekend of racing and more specifically, with three of Ireland's most prestigious races. We are already looking forward to the 2023 Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival and to working with the Curragh Racecourse for the next three years of this flagship sponsorship agreement.”

Tattersalls graduate Native Trial (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) was an impressive winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas last year, while Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) won the 1000 Guineas for Moyglare Stud, Dermot Weld and Chris Hayes. The first entry stage for both Classics has already closed, with some of the highest rated 2-year-olds from last year signed on, including: Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never), Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Crypto Force (GB) (Time Test {GB}) and Proud and Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) are among the entries for the Irish 2000 Guineas. In the fillies' equivalent, Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), Statuette (Justify), Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), Fairy Cross (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Madly Truly (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}), Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) and Treasure Trove (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) feature.

Curragh CEO Brian Kavanagh said, “Tattersalls are a long and valued supporter of Irish racing and in particular the Curragh. They are a pleasure to work with and today's announcement of a three-year extension of their sponsorship of three of our most important Group 1 races is very welcome news. The 2022 renewals of these races each provided great stories and we look forward to working with Tattersalls to further grow and develop the races over the coming years.”

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One Last Festival Hurrah for Honeysuckle

Kenny Alexander's dual Champion Hurdler Honeysuckle (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}) will make her swansong in the G1 Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle at next month's Cheltenham Festival.

The 9-year-old was beaten for the first time in 16 starts when tackling the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in December, in which she was third. She went on to finish runner-up to State Man (Ire) in last weekend's Irish Champion Hurdle, a race she had won for the three previous seasons.

A 12-time Grade 1 victrix, Honeysuckle is also a treble winner at the Cheltenham Festival, having won the last two Champion Hurdles and the Mares' Hurdle in 2020.

Peter Molony, racing manager to Kenny Alexanxder, announced the news on Tuesday morning.

He told PA Media, “I think after Sunday, on mature reflection, most reasonable people would agree she has taken a step back. She still fought her heart out and when Vauban came to take second off her she put her head down and her ears back and went 'not on your life'.

“So she still has that competitive spirit, she's still a racehorse and that's why we've decided to give her one last hurrah. She deserves it and Cheltenham would be a lovely place to bow out.”

He added, “The whole day on Sunday, strangely enough, even though we got beat, was one of the best days we've had on a racecourse with Honey. The reception she got, the cheer when Rachael got legged up, the roars as she cantered down to the start–Rachael said when she got down to the start she had a stupid grin on her face from the huge reception they got.

“The public have really taken her to their hearts and it's wonderful, so Cheltenham is probably the right place for her to finish her career.”

Honeysuckle will retire eventually to Alexander's New Hall Stud in Scotland, where the owner-breeder is assembling a formidable team of National Hunt mares. The Ayrshire farm was the birthplace of Group 1 winner Donna Blini (GB) (Bertolini), who was bred by Gordon Thom and later found ever greater fame as the dam of Japanese Horse of the Year Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

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