Newbury unveils new £100,000 stayers' handicap

A new £100,000 stayers' handicap, the JLT Cup, will be introduced at Newbury on July 21.

Open to three-year-olds and above, the extended two-mile contest (2m110y) forms part of Weatherbys Super Sprint Day, which will now have prize-money of more than £500,000.

It is another welcome boost for the stayers' programme and follows news two of Britain’s oldest handicaps, the Cesarewitch and Ebor, will offer £1,000,000 in prize-money from 2019 and 2020respectively.

Newbury chief executive Julian Thick said: “This new race is a response to the appetite from horsemen and the industry for an enhanced stayers’ programme and it has been on our wish list for a while, so it is great to play a part in making it happen.”

Henry Candy, who trains not far from the course north of Lambourn, also voiced his support: “The new race is a wonderful addition to the programme, fitting in nicely between the Northumberland Plate and the Ebor.”