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THREE LISTED EVENTS HEAD SALISBURY'S BEST-EVER MEETING

Posted August 4th, 2003

Salisbury's flagship meeting takes place on Wednesday and Thursday, August 13 and 14, when the course's richest-ever two-day meeting will feature three Listed events for the first time.

The Listed SOVEREIGN STAKES, run at 4pm on the Thursday, will be the most valuable race ever staged at Salisbury with a total prize fund of £50,000. The mile race, for horses aged three and above, continues to attract top performers, with Priors Lodge scoring for Richard Hannon last season in a memorable finish with six in contention a furlong from home.

In sixth place was the John Gosden-trained Mineshaft, owned by the American ambassador Will Farish, and one of the top performers in the US this year.

Thursday's supporting card kicks off at 2.20pm with the DOWNS MAIDEN STAKES, a juvenile event won in 2002 by recent Ascot scorer Howle Hill and in 1998 by Island Sands, who went on to classic glory in the 2,000 Guineas.

The card is completed by the AD TRADER MAIDEN STAKES (2.55pm), STELLA ARTOIS FILLIES' HANDICAP (3.25pm), CARMEN WINES HANDICAP (4.35pm) and concludes at 5.10pm with another event in the AXMINSTER CARPETS APPRENTICE HANDICAP series.

The Wednesday card includes the £30,000 STONEHENGE STAKES at 3.35pm, a mile two-year-old race upgraded to Listed status this year and won 12 months ago by the Ed Dunlop-trained Mubeen.

The EUROPEAN BREEDERS FUND UPAVON FILLIES' STAKES at 4.05pm, is a well-established Listed event with a £45,000 total prize fund. Last year's winner Chorist recently landed a Group 3 contest at Chepstow.

Racing on the Wednesday kicks off at 2.30pm with the 'RACE DOWN TO SALISBURY PLAYHOUSE' E.B.F. MAIDEN STAKES, a two-year-old event backed jointly by the European Breeders' Fund and the Salisbury Playhouse.

Last year's contest, won by Salsalino, also included the debutant Oasis Dream, who finished fifth but went on to land the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes last season and could be crowned this year's champion sprinter following a brilliant victory in the Group 1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket last month.

The remainder of the Wednesday card comprises the purewoodfloors.com CLAIMING STAKES at 3.05pm, the VIOLET APPLIN CHALLENGE CUP HANDICAP (4.35pm) and the GOLDRING SECURITY SERVICES FILLIES' HANDICAP (5.05pm).

Many top performers appear at Salisbury en route to stardom and other horses that won as two-year-olds at this meeting recently include subsequent Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes hero Where Or When and classic-placed Barathea Guest. Total prize money offered over the two days is £182,100.

The gates open at noon and there will be a bouncy castle, creche and big screen on both the Wednesday and Thursday. Admission prices are Members £16, Tattersalls £10 and Course £5 and, as at all Salisbury's meetings, children under 16 are admitted FREE.

Jeremy Martin, Salisbury's Clerk of the Course and General Manager, said: "Attendances so far this year are up 22 per cent on 2002 and, with the highest-quality race programme ever put together at Salisbury on August 13 and 14, we hope to attract another bumper crowd.

"We are delighted that the Stonehenge Stakes has been upgraded to Listed class this year, meaning that Salisbury now has five Listed events, and are hopeful that the Sovereign Stakes can be promoted to Group 3 status in the near future."

For further information, please call Salisbury Racecourse on 01722 326461

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