Major Boost and Changes to Spring Carnival in Sydney With Lead Up to Everest!

Written on the 7 July 2017

To complement The Everest, the richest race on turf in the world, Sydney's Spring Carnival has been given a boost of nearly $2 million in prizemoney.

Some of the prizemoney boost will go towards the Group Three Craven Plate, raising the prizemoney from $175,000 to $500,000 and re-introduction of the St Leger with prizemoney also worth $500,000. The conditions for the St Leger (2600m) are set weights and penalties.

It was also announced by Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club that October 14th, the day of The Everest, will host a $200,000 Anniversary Highway (1400m) to celebrate two years since the introduction of the races for country-trained horses.

There are a few changes being made to the Spring Carnival which runs from September 9th to October 14th. One of the major changes  taking place is the $500,000 Listed City Tatt's Lightning held over 1200 metres being brought forward a week to October 14 for those who missed a spot in The Everest.

"The Everest is creating unprecedented interest both inside and outside racing, from within Australia and internationally. It is timely to modernise and strengthen the racing program during the spring in Sydney," Racing NSW chairman Russell Balding said.

The new programming will deliver four consecutive weeks of Group One racing at Rosehill and Randwick, leading into The Everest meeting.

The Golden Rose (1400m) has now been moved to September 23rd, two weeks later with the Group Two Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) taking its orginal spot.

The changes ensure there are two suitable lead-up races to The Everest starting with the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) on September 16th. The set weights and penalty conditions of this race have been amended with a topweight of 58kg. This change will ensure the champion sprinter Chautauqua is not weighted out of the race.

The Group 2 $500,000 Premiere Stakes (1200m) on September 30th will be the final preparatory race before The Everest two weeks later.

Here's a breakdown of the Spring Carnival changes and highlights in Sydney:

• The $10 million The Everest - world's richest race on turf
• Premiere Stakes and  Lightning Stakes - now worth $500,000 each
• Hill Stakes and Craven Plate - now worth $500,000 each
• Golden Rose - date moved to September 23rd
• ATC St Leger - re-introduced and worth $500,000
• Anniversary TAB Highway - worth $200,000

(Photo: Champion sprinter Chautauqua favourite to win The Everest, Photo source, The Daily Telegraph)