Sydney is to have a $7.5 million race called the Golden Eagle as part of Racing NSW’s bid to further strengthen the spring carnival.
The Golden Eagle over 1500 metres at Rosehill will be restricted to four-year-olds with the inaugural running on November 2, 2019, the same day as the Victoria Derby at Flemington.
The Golden Eagle will be the third leg of multi-million dollar treble, The Golden Slam, with any horse that can win the Golden Slipper for two-year-olds, the Golden Rose for three-year-olds and the final race at four to get a $5 million bonus.
The Golden Eagle will be the the third richest race on turf after The Everest at Randwick and the Prix De l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.
At this stage it is worth more than the Melbourne Cup but Racing NSW denies it is trying to usurp the spring from Victoria.
“Racing is competitive and we need to expand our carnival,” Racing NSW chairman Russell Balding said.
Funding for the Golden Eagle is to come from new revenue, the details of which have not yet been announced.
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’Landys said it was important to cultivate a new racing audience and Rosehill was the perfect venue.
“It will be a celebration of western Sydney,” he said.
“It is the fastest growth area in Sydney and we need to have a presence in the west.”
As part of the initiative, 10 per cent of the Golden Eagle prize money will be donated to charity with connections of the horses to nominate their causes.
V’landys said it was hoped the initiative would motivate owners and breeders to keep horses in training at four rather than go straight to stud after their three-year-old seasons.
Other changes to the spring program include two $1 million races, one for three-year-olds and one for juveniles.
The Bondi Stakes (1600m) will be at Randwick on October 26 with the Golden Gift for two-year-olds run at Rosehill on November 9.
FEATURE DAYS FOR SYDNEY DURING 2019 SPRING CARNIVAL
Sept 7: Randwick – Chelmsford Stakes
Sept 14: Rosehill – Run To The Rose
Sept 21: Randwick – George Main Stakes
Sept 21: Rosehill – Golden Rose
Oct 5: Randwick – Epsom Handicap
Oct 12: Randwick – Spring Champion Stakes
Oct 19: Randwick – The Everest
Oct 26: Randwick – Bondi Stakes
Nov 2: Rosehill – The Golden Eagle
Nov 9: Rosehill – Golden Gift
