Chelmsford to boost prize-money levels for lower-class handicaps

Officials at Chelmsford have pledged to boost prize-money for lower-class handicaps with immediate effect.

The news comes with prize-money levels in British racing again the centre of attention following the boycott of a race at Newbury last weekend.

Chelmsford, who this month staged the Listed Queen Charlotte Stakes with a prize-money fund of £100,000 – up from £43,000 last year and higher than the £75,000 fund the race was run for in 2018 and 2019, said it had decided to re-examine prize-money levels and would further increase its commitment to Class 5 and 6 races.

As a result all Class 5 handicaps will be run for £10,000 at the course from now on, while the total prize-money for all Class 6 handicaps will be raised by £700 to £8,000.

The course had already increased prize-money levels for Class 4, 5 and 6 handicaps in February.

All Class 5 and 6 weight-for-age races will be run at the maximum amount permitted by the BHA for the various types of contest at those levels, Chelmsford added.

The track's director of racing Neil Graham said: "As an independent racecourse, we are proud, as ever, to be pushing the boundaries by offering prize-money well in excess of many of our competitors. It is what owners and all of racing's participants have been asking for, and it is no more than they deserve.

"We are delighted to have staged two Listed races at Chelmsford this season for prize-money of £100,000 and £87,500 respectively, while the Woodford Reserve Cardinal Stakes, worth £100,000, – which offers qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby – is further evidence of our commitment to rewarding owners and trainers who put their faith in our racecourse."

A Class 5 novice stakes for fillies due to be run at Newbury last Saturday worth a total of £6,500 did not take place after the trainers of the 13 entries refused to declare their horses in protest over the level of prize-money on offer.

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