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$2 million included in qualification for Group 1 race
Prize-money from the $2 million Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) - which will be permanently moved to Randiwck - will count toward qualification for the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) in 2020, a move which comes as part of a revamp to the Inglis race day series announced by the auction house on Wednesday.
The Australian Turf Club and Inglis have joined forces to approve the move, which will make the Millennium the first ever auction house-restricted juvenile race to have a portion of its prize-money count toward the official order of entry for the coveted Group 1 race.
The Inglis Millennium has total stakes of $2 million – equal with the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) and second only to the $3.5 million Golden Slipper – with the winner earning $1.16 million but under the new agreement, only $69,500 of the winner’s prize-money counts towards the Golden Slipper ballot, which is the equivalent of winning a Sydney Listed two-year-old race.
Meanwhile, despite the implications of coronavirus the Inglis Millennium will remain at $2 million prize-money and the Inglis Sprint (RL, 1200m) at $1 million for 2021, which will take place at Flemington from 2022, to be contested on Australian Guineas Day during the autumn carnival, but will be run at Randwick in 2021 on Millennium Day.
The fillies and mares race series has also received a major boost, with the sales house introducing the $250,000 Inglis Bracelet, a race for fillies and mares over 1600 metres at Flemington on Oaks Day during Melbourne Cup Week from 2020.
Other changes include; the Inglis Dash (1100m) will take place at Flemington in 2021 and The two-year-old Inglis 2YO Challenge (1100m) at Scone will have its prize-money doubled to $200,000 from 2021 and be open to all yearlings sold at Scone, the Highway Session at Inglis Classic, the Showcase Session at Inglis Premier, the Melbourne Gold Sale and online through Inglis Digital.
Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster welcomed the Race Series changes, saying they create even more fantastic opportunities for participants on all levels to race for significant prizemoney.
“The Race Series is a hugely rewarding part of our business and gives our clients - breeders, vendors, buyers, trainers and owners – the chance to compete for big money against other Inglis horses,’’ Webster said.
“These changes we announce today will have a positive impact on so many of those clients.
“I would especially like to thank Jamie Barkley and James Ross at the ATC for the work they have done in ensuring a portion of the Millennium prize-money will now count toward official Golden Slipper qualification.
“This is something we have been working toward since even before the inaugural Inglis Millennium had been run and with the hard work of the ATC and Racing NSW, this is a great result for all breeders, owners, trainers and overall racing participants.
“The Inglis Millennium has already announced itself as one of Australia’s primary two-year-old races and a key lead-up to the Golden Slipper, Inglis Sires and Champagne Stakes and the fact a portion of the prize-money will now be treated as official qualification for the Slipper is a fantastic outcome.
“Prize-money from the Inglis Banner at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day has long counted toward qualification for the Blue Diamond so it is fantastic we now have a similar situation in NSW for the Millennium and the Slipper, the state’s two biggest juvenile races.
“I would also like to thank the Victoria Racing Club for their enthusiasm in accepting our new initiative, the Inglis Bracelet on Oaks Day as well as hosting the Inglis Sprint as a feature race on what is already a magnificent day’s racing on Australian Guineas Day, a day before the start of our Premier Yearling Sale at Oaklands each year.’’
The $6m Inglis Race Series for 2020 graduates is open to all horses which have been offered for sale at this year’s Classic, Premier or Easter Sales, any horses offered at the upcoming Easter Round 2, Scone, Melbourne Gold or Ready2Race Sales, any weanlings purchased at the 2019 Australian Weanling or Great Southern Sales and any yearlings sold through the Inglis Digital online platform from January 2020 to July 2020.
All paid-up graduates will also be eligible for the $2m Inglis Triple Crown, claimed if a 2YO can win either the Inglis Banner (Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day) or Inglis Nursery (Randwick in December) as well as the Inglis Millennium and Inglis Sires.
Registrations for the Inglis Race Series for 2020 graduates remain open until July 31.
