Racing NSW today announced that prizemoney will be increased for the Big Dance and both the Country Championships and Provincial-Midway Championships Finals.
The Big Dance, to be run at Royal Randwick on November 7, 2023 will now carry prizemoney of $3 million, an increase of $1 million. Qualifying for the Big Dance is through a series of Country Cups and the Wild Card race at Royal Randwick in October.
Racing NSW Chairman Mr Russell Balding AO said: “The inaugural Big Dance race meeting in November 2022 was a tremendous success from the viewpoint of on-course participation, wagering and the build-up throughout the qualifying races. This prizemoney increase reflects that success and Racing NSW is confident that the race itself and the meeting can continue developing in coming years.”
The Country Championships and Provincial-Midway Championships will be staged for the tenth time in 2024 and prizemoney for those Finals will be increased to $1 million, from $500,000.
“The Country Championships has developed as a highlight of the autumn in its own right, delivering the Championships to locations throughout country NSW. The Country Championships and Provincial-Midway Championships are important aspirational racing series. It is fitting that the prizemoney be increased from the tenth edition of the Finals for both the Country Championships and Provincial-Midway Championships,” Mr Balding added.
The Country Championships Final will be run at Royal Randwick on Saturday, April 6 2024 and the Provincial-Midway Championships Final will be held on Saturday, April 13 2024.