The Jockey Club has revealed that both Coral-Eclipse day on July 3 and next month’s Cazoo Derby Festival are receiving increases in the prize-money they will offer.
Total prize-money for the Coral-Eclipse day has increased near on 18 per cent from its previously advertised value to £900,000 with the feature, the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse, now worth £600,000 while the Coral Charge handicap has been boosted by £25,000 to offer a fund of £75,000.
The Coral-Eclipse card will now also feature the £40,000 Coral Day handicap and the £25,000 coral.co.uk handicap.
Next month’s Cazoo Derby Festival has had a 12 per cent increase across the 11 non-Group 1s staged across the two days with no contest worth less than £40,000 and no handicap worth less than £50,000.
Andrew Cooper, Head of Racing and Clerk of the Course at Epsom Downs and Sandown Park, said: “It has been a difficult time for us at The Jockey Club, as it has been for everyone, and in several ways that remains the case.
“Racegoers generate around 50% of our revenues and so with them away from our 15 racecourses for so long our finances have been significantly impacted and remain so as the pandemic continues.
“However, now we are starting to be allowed a very limited number of spectators back, we are immediately taking the opportunity to boost prize-money. Therefore, I am pleased to confirm we are able to increase the value of the non-Group 1 races across both days of The Cazoo Derby Festival by 12% and with the propect of more spectators at Sandown Park, we’re committing to boost prize-money for Coral-Eclipse Day by 18% above currently advertised values.
“Owners who put so much into the sport have been incredibly patient during the pandemic and this period of huge uncertainty. All of us at The Jockey Club are keen that as soon as the financial picture improves we see that reflected in prize-money funding, which is always a top priority at Jockey Club Racecourses.”
