WARRNAMBOOL will host more jumps races than any other Victorian track this season, including four new $100,000 races, it emerged yesterday.
Racing Victoria Limited released its 2010 jumps racing calendar, which moved four of the state's feature races, previously held at Moonee Valley to Warrnambool.
The extra races were double what was expected. It was hoped the city would gain at least one or two of the metropolitan races.
Warrnambool Racing Club chairman Marg Lucas said the changes boosted confidence within the south-west's jumps racing industry and further cemented the region as the sport's centre.
"We have been under a dark cloud for a while and this is just great for Warrnambool and the Western District," she said.
Warrnambool will host more than a third of all Victorian jumping races this season.
A total of 64 races will be held from April to August, with RVL increasing the minimum prizemoney from $12,000 to $15,000.
A total of 22 races will be held in Warrnambool. The city will host the first jumps meeting on April 6, which has a maiden hurdle, open hurdle and open steeple programmed. Lucas understood prizemoney would be bolstered further next year, if this season proved successful.
"This year prizemoney has been put into the development of new jumps (obstacles). I believe that next season that money will put into the prizemoney pool.
"From our perspective it is all good news."
The feature races inherited from Moonee Valley, which was axed as a jumps venue in an attempt to improve the sport, are expected to lure metropolitan-based trainers to the south-west.
The first two features, an open hurdle handicap (3550 metres) and an open steeple handicap (3450m) will be run on July 11.
The two others, a set weights hurdle (4150m) and a set weights steeple (3600m) are set for August 1.
The races, known as the Macdonald Steeplechase, Moonee Valley Hurdle and A.V. Hiskens Steeplechase at their Melbourne home, will be given new names in Warrnambool.
Lucas said she was researching names which would reflect the history of the sport in the south-west.
"They will be of a historical nature which reflect people involved in the sport and horses which have excelled.
"I will be canvassing the board and hope to make an announcement soon."
RVL acting chief executive officer Paul Bittar said the organisation would support "where practical" a highweight series or extended distance races to complement the jumps season.
"RVL is committed to providing opportunities for jumps racing to succeed in 2010," he said.
"The 2010 jumps racing program has been developed in close consultation with the Australian Jumps Racing Association and provides a healthy balance between maiden, restricted and open class hurdles and steeples."
The Warrnambool May Racing Carnival will be held from May 4-6, with the $141,000 Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m) run on the final day.
Email a friend