Racing: Club bucks trend with $2.5m boost to stakes

MELBOURNE - Defying recent trends, Melbourne's Moonee Valley Racing Club has announced a A$2.5 million prizemoney increase for the 2009-10 season to almost A$21 million.

The prizemoney boost represents a 12 per cent increase on last season and is up more than 33 per cent on 2006-07 with the MVRC committing $2.9 million of club-generated funds above the funding received from Racing Victoria towards prizemoney and trophies.

The club has also guaranteed A$100,000 to international runners who compete in the A$3 million Cox Plate in October and do not finish in the first eight.

The MVRC has committed A$625,000 of the additional A$2.5 million towards black-type races.

The highlights of the prizemoney increases include the Dato Tan Chin Nam (Feehan) Stakes, up from A$350,000 to A$500,000, the Manikato Stakes, from A$350,000 to A$500,000, and the William Reid Stakes, raised A$100,000 to A$500,000.

All group two races will carry minimum prizemoney of A$200,000 - up A$20,000 - and group three races will be increased from A$125,000 to A$150,000.

Programme changes announced by the club start from this Saturday with a new A$100,000 Open Sprint with set weights and penalties to replace the McEwen Stakes, transferred to the September 12 meeting to support the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes.

The A$500,000 group one Manikato Stakes will highlight the 2009 night racing season launch meeting on AFL grand final eve.

The group one William Reid Stakes - run as the Australia Stakes in recent years - will be run on February 13, while the group two Carlyon Stakes will now be known as the Australia Stakes and will be run on January 22.

Ten premium valley night meetings programmed this season will each offer A$560,000 in prizemoney.

- AAP