Building on the £200K prize money increase announced in January, Crayford and Monmore Green are making further enhancements to it’s graded prize money assisted by the additional revenue starting to be generated form the live streaming of BAGS races.
Having already established an industry leading £40 minimum run guarantee, top graded runners at both tracks will benefit from a significant boost in prize money from July 1st.
Top grade run money will rise to £50 and the top winners purses to £200.
Stadia controller Richard Brankley said: “This increase cements the tracks’ position as the highest prize money payers and further demonstrates the ongoing commitment and investment in the sport.”
Other Monmore news
If you are looking for Monmore racing manager Tony Willliamson, he is the one, for the next few days at least, with the smug grin on his face. On Saturday, an A1 graded by ‘himself’ resulted in a blanket finish. The five-runner race went to Oleg (T3 7-2) from Noirs Allen. The distances were sh, sh, sh, nk. Tony said: “I had virtually the same thing happen on the first BAGS card I ever graded. In the next race there were 17 lengths between them.”
MONMORE have decided to suspend their recently introduced 684m graded races after a month’s trial.
Racing manager Tony Williamson said: “We have between 80-90 dogs graded over the longer distances. That is plenty for the 630, but we would ideally need just as many over the 684. By trying to do both, we were at risk of making the 630s uncompetitive and so decided the 684s had to go. We haven’t ruled out bringing them back in the future, but only if the numbers increase.”
Williamson will be sorry to see Kirsten Turner and partner Dave Heywood leave the track at the end of the month due to problems over the lease for their kennels.
He said: “I’ve known Kirsten for many years, she was originally with Jack Searle who trained here for many years. They have between 20-30 runners here and hopefully most will stay here with other kennels.
Tuttles Vega (Martinstown Snow-Tuttles Alice, Aug 14) has been earmarked as a pup to follow by the Monmore racing office. The Corren Price trained black was beaten on debut in Ireland but saw off A4 and A2 in his only two English races to date, clocking a best of 28.62 (-20).
MONMORE TRACK CHAMPION
480–DROOPYS FAFE bd b (Blackstone Gene-Droopys Donna, Jan 14) Owner Mr S W S Hobbs, Miss L Hodgkiss Trainer Sandra Ralph Nearly a 1:3 strike rate at the track. Won her most recent A1 in 28.16.
630–POPADOM PEDRO bk d (Ninja Jamie-Ardcroney Olivia, Nov 13) Owner The Power Of Prayer Trainer Paul Sallis A1, S1 and E1 runner with a recent 37.88 victory over this trip.
