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TWO GREAT FIXTURES KICK OFF SALISBURY SEASON

Posted April 16th, 2004

The exciting 2004 season at Salisbury Racecourse begins with an evening fixture on Thursday, April 22, closely followed by one of the Wiltshire venue's popular Sundays on May 2.

A big screen will be present opposite the stands on both days, helping racegoers view all the action, and Salisbury will have this facility on 16 of its 17 racedays in 2004. In addition, full colour racecards will be available at every meeting this year for the first time.

The 17 racedays include two extra days - October 8 and 9 - which have been transferred from Ascot due to the ongoing building work being conducted at the Berkshire course.

BBC Television cameras return to Salisbury Racecourse for the first time in many years for those two days.

Racegoers can enjoy a six-race card on Sunday, May 2, featuring the £20,000-added SHARP MINDS BETFAIR RATED HANDICAP (4.10pm) over six furlongs for three-year-olds rated 0-100.

Last season this event was won by local trainer Richard Hannon courtesy of Bonus, who easily justified favouritism to beat The Kiddykid by five lengths, providing top jockey Richard Hughes with the fourth leg of a four-timer.

The Cadeaux Genereux colt was subsequently successful in the Group Three Phoenix Sprint Stakes in Ireland, while the previous year's renewal went to Vanderlin trained by Salisbury director Ian Balding, who is now retired, having handed the licence to his son Andrew at the beginning of 2003.

Sunday's fixture also includes two other competitive handicaps in the form of the £14,000-added GODDARDS FIAT HANDICAP (3.35pm) over one mile and two furlongs, and the concluding £14,000-added 102 SPIRE FM HANDICAP (5.20pm), the longest race of the day over one mile and six furlongs.

The former race in 2003 went to Rocket Ship, trained by another local handler in Roger Charlton and ridden by Hughes. Peter Bowen launched a successful raid from his Welsh training centre to win the latter race last year with Mr Ed.

Vermilliann provided Hannon with a double on the day in the 2003 equivalent of the £12,000-added CATISFIELD HINTON & STUD FILLIES' CONDITIONS STAKES (3.35pm) over five furlongs, running on strongly under a fine ride from Hughes to deny Powerful Parrish by two lengths. Hannon was also victorious in this event in 2002 with Presto Vento, who went on to capture both the Listed National Stakes at Sandown and the very valuable Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury.

Racing on Sunday, May 2, begins at 2.30pm with the £8,000-added BUTLER & CO. EQUINE TAX PLANNING MAIDEN STAKES (2.30pm) over six furlongs - the gates open at 11am. The race was split into two divisions in 2003, with division one going to the Henry Candy-trained Penelewey, who returned to Salisbury to win the Saffie Joseph & Sons Fillies' Rated Stakes in July, while division two went to Desert Opal, trained by John Gosden.

The other maiden on the card is the £8,000-added CITY CABS SALISBURY MAIDEN STAKES (4.45pm) over one mile and four furlongs. David Elsworth, another local trainer, has won the last two renewals of this contest. Gold Medallist made virtually all to beat Sayadaw by three-quarters of a length in 2003 before going on to land a Listed contest at Newmarket just over two months later. His success meant that the first six favourites on the Salisbury card prevailed, leaving Sunday bettors in a festive mood ahead of the Bank Holiday. In 2002 the Whitsbury-based trainer struck with Gulf, who was making his racecourse bow.

The six-race card on the evening of Thursday, April 22, is a fixture which has moved from a Thursday afternoon in late August, meaning an earlier start for Salisbury this term.

The feature event is the opening £17,000-added E.B.F.'25 YEARS SINCE STEVE CAUTHEN'S UK FIRST' CLASSIFIED STAKES (5.30pm) over a mile for three-year-olds only rated 0-95.

This contest honours the three-time British champion jockey Steve Cauthen's first winner in the United Kingdom on Saturday, April 7, 1979, when, on his initial ride in this country, the American partnered the Barry Hills-trained Marquee Universal to a smooth one and a half length victory over Twickenham at Salisbury in the Grand Foods Handicap.

On the very same day in early April a quarter of a century ago, David Elsworth gained his first Flat winner when Raffia Set landed a gamble in the Unicheq Sprint Handicap.

That victory is remembered by the £6,750-added E.B.F.'25 YEARS SINCE DAVID ELSWORTH'S FIRST WINNER' MAIDEN FILLIES' STAKES (6.00pm) over five furlongs.

Other sponsored races on Thursday, April 22, include the £5,000-added TEST DRIVE THE NEW ASTRA AT APPROACH HANDICAP (6.30pm) over one mile and four furlongs, the £5,000-added APPROACH VAUXHALL TRADE CLUB FILLIES' HANDICAP (7.30pm) over six furlongs, and the £5,000-added AXMINSTER CARPETS APPRENTICE HANDICAP (8.00pm) over seven furlongs. The gates open at 4pm.

Jeremy Martin, Salisbury's Clerk of the Course and Manager, commented: "Everyone associated with Salisbury Racecourse is tremendously looking forward to the exciting new season which starts on Thursday, April 22, and continues on Sunday, May 2.

"We have three Group Three races and five Listed events this year - the most ever - which means that the racing will be even better while prize money is expected to reach a new record of £1.1 million.

"Salisbury is a friendly course with good facilities and is an excellent place to visit for all the family, with accompanied children under 16 getting in free of charge."

For further information, please call Salisbury Racecourse on 01722 326461

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