Skip to main navigation Skip to main content

Prize money boosts for Capricornia Yearling Sale Races

14 December 2018

Share this page

Share on a platform

Or copy the page link

By Darryn Nufer

ROCKHAMPTON’S racing industry has received another shot in the arm with significant prize money boosts for the Capricornia Yearling Sale feature races to take effect from next year.

In a major coup for the Rockhampton Jockey Club, which recently took over management of the annual sale, The Capricornia Yearling Sale 2YO Classic (1200m) race will get a $25,000 lift in prize money taking it to a $125,000 feature.

With the QTIS double bonus also retained in 2019, the 2YO Classic will see a total of $155,000 in prizemoney available for QTIS qualified horses.

The Capricornia Yearling Sale 3 & 4YO Championship (1300m), to be a combined-age race for the first time in 2019, will also get a $25,000 boost and move to a $75,000 feature event.

Again, the QTIS double bonus will be available seeing QTIS eligible runners competing for a total stake of $105,000.

Both races are exclusive to horses purchased from the Capricornia Yearling Sale held in Rockhampton each April.

Rockhampton Jockey Club CEO Tony Fenlon said Racing Queensland should be commended for the support it was showing to racing in our region.

Fenlon said following this announcement the RJC had extended the nominations deadline for people wishing to sell horses at the 2019 Capricornia Yearling Sale to Monday, January 7.

Nomination forms can be downloaded here: 2019 CYS NOMINATION FORM 

Racing Queensland Chief Executive Officer Brendan Parnell said the allocation of additional funding was aimed at driving ownership and growing racing’s fan base in the Capricornia region.

“Racing Queensland is proud to support the Queensland breeding industry and to assist clubs that implement initiatives to help grow racing in their regions,” Mr Parnell said.

“The Rockhampton Jockey Club has worked hard to grow the Capricornia Yearling Sale and race day and it is hoped this prize money boost will support a continuation of growth in the years to come.”

These latest prize money boosts follow a stakes increase last month which came on the back of Racing Queensland allocating $18 million in additional benefits directly from the State Government’s contribution to the industry.

That saw individual races at mid-week Rockhampton TAB meetings rise from

$14,000 prize money to $16,500.

Furthermore, an entire meeting (dubbed a Showcase meeting) each week at either Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville or Cairns is now carrying all $19,000 races.

Significantly the Rockhampton Cup prize purse also rose from $100,000 to

$150,000 under those previous announcements.

The 2019 Capricornia Yearling Sale is on Sunday, April 14, at Rockhampton Showgrounds.

The 2019 2YO Classic and 3 & 4YO Championship races will be run at Callaghan Park the day prior.