In excess of $600,000 is to be won by owners and breeders in the first Westspeed Platinum Race Day at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday, December 18.

Races are restricted to Westspeed Platinum horses only, as part of the RWWA commitment to support the local breeding sector.  The inaugural Westpeed Platinum Race Day will also feature the running of the Group 2 Ted Van Heemst Stakes and Starstruck Classic.

Westspeed Platinum Races:

$125,000  2YO Open  SW+P (1000m)         TBWA Westspeed Platinum Plate
$125,000  3YO Open  SW+P Hcp (1200m) Westspeed Platinum Sires Stakes
$125,000  4UP F&M   66+ Hcp (1200m)      EPONA Classic
$125,000 4 UP E&G    66+ Hcp (1200m)     TBWA Stallion Tender Scheme Trophy

In addition to $125,000 prize money for each race, 2YO and 3YO horses will be eligible for normal Westspeed Platinum bonuses for first, second and third place.

Thoroughbred Breeders WA (TBWA) will top up the breeder bonus on the two-year-old and three-year-old races from $7,700 to $10,000 and pay a full $10,000 bonus to winning breeders for the EPONA Classic and TBWA Stallion Tender Trophy for older horses.

Racing and Wagering WA manager of commercial racing and planning David Hunter said the new races will provide a further boost to owners and the breeding industry.  “These races are in addition to the Westspeed Platinum race scheduled at most Saturday metropolitan meetings and will provide even more rewards to owners racing fully Western Australian-bred horses,” Hunter said.  “I expect the local market to become even stronger due to these races.”

Westspeed Platinum is an extension of the successful Westspeed scheme that was introduced in the 1999-2000 racing season.  With RWWA’s injection of $6.8 million to the scheme in 2019, total bonuses are expected to exceed $12 million in the 2022-23 season.

“This event coincides with our annual awards ceremony, so it is a day to showcase both our local product and our local breeders,” TBWA president Fiona Lacey said.  “This is the perfect opportunity to fulfil our commitment to reinvesting our Stallion Tender Scheme funds directly back to breeders.”

COME PLAY WITH ME
Group 1 winning son of Blackfriars has earned bonuses of $295,500