Trainers incentive to lure big guns to Charlton cup

15 February 2017
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Charlton Harness Racing Club has added some spice to its February 26 Charlton Cup program with two training bonuses for its feature cups.

The Charlton And District Community Bank Charlton Pacing Cup will offer an additional $1000 training bonus if the pacing cup winner participated in either the 2017 A. G. Hunter Cup or Victoria Cup.

This will add to the lucrative $30,000 stakemoney, gold cup and inscribed rug on offer to the winner. The race will be run under mobile conditions over 2570 metres for M0 or better pacers under preferential barrier draw and manual field selection conditions.

The North West Ag Services Charlton Trotters Cup will carry a similar $1000 training bonus if the winner participated in either the 2017 V. L. Dullard Cup or Great Southern Star. This is in addition to the $20,000 stakemoney, gold cup and inscribed rug on offer to the winner.

Club President John Tormey said the trotters cup was particularly exciting becaue it would be the first time the cup would be run under mobile start conditions. The event will be over 2570 metres for TMO or better trotters (PBD/TM).

“The idea behind these bonuses is to try to attract a better class of horse to our premier race day for the year and provide local patrons with the chance to see some of the best horses going around,” Mr Tormey said.   

And there is no excuse for trainers not looking to bring a heap of horses for the supporting program, with a further $54,000 stakemoney on offer, all races being trophy races and four races carrying $1500 VHRSC Bonuses.

The Cup Day Fanatics Three Year Old Classic, for three-year-olds C0 to C2 over the mobile 2100 metres (PBD/3C), carries prizemoney of $13,000 plus trophy and inscribed rug to the winning owner, as well as a $1500 VHRSC Bonus.

It is guaranteed to be a particularly interesting affair. The race is the brainchild of a number of local Charlton harness enthusiasts - known as the Cup Day Fanatics - who are keen to foster racing opportunities for younger horses and are hoping to attract a top field of promising three-year-olds to the town for cup day.

Some idea of the calibre of horse hoping to be attracted can be gauged from the fact that it boasts Hectorjayjay as its inaugural winner.

Patrons on course will also be well catered for with a huge range of entertainment and prizes on offer. These include the ever-popular Fashions On The Field competition and the first pre-race Champagne Bar (11am start).

“The community is totally behind this annual event and it is a feature on the local social calendar,” Mr Tormey said.

The course also features numerous marquees and market umbrellas for shade, as well as overhead mist sprays to add to patron comfort if the weather is hot. And the action continues for the locals even after the races, when they kick up their heels into the late hours.

For the real country harness racing experience you just need to get there! First race is 1pm.

 

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