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ASCOT COMES TO SALISBURY

Posted September 16th, 2004

Salisbury holds two tremendous days of action on Friday, October 8, and Saturday, October 9, featuring a pair of Group Three races plus a Listed contest - the best racing ever staged at the Wiltshire racecourse. These racedays have been transferred from Ascot racecourse, as the Royal racecourse will be closing after September 26 ahead of a multi-million pound redevelopment. The race programme includes some races directly transferred from Ascot with the remainder the product of consultations between Salisbury and the British Horseracing Board.

Over £250,000 in prize money will be on offer over the meeting, with four races broadcast live on BBC television each day - an unprecedented level of terrestrial coverage. In another change from the usual broadcasting arrangements, the meeting will be broadcast on digital/cable on the At The Races channel, which has an agreement with Ascot, rather than Salisbury's usual media partner, Racing UK.

View the Programme

The highlight of the six-race programme on Friday, October 8, is the £40,000 Group Three AUTUMN STAKES (4.15pm), a mile contest for two-year-olds. This race often proves a most informative pointer to future success with the best winner in recent years being the Marcus Tregoning-trained Nayef in 2000, who went on to win four Group One races during his illustrious career.

Action gets underway with a highly-competitive sprint in the form of the £20,000 skybet.com HANDICAP (2.30pm), a five-furlong contest for three year olds and upwards followed by the £20,000 VIC FOOT BIRTHDAY CONDITIONS STAKES (3.05pm), a seven-furlong event for two-year-olds. Next on the agenda is another competitive handicap in the £20,000 GOADSBY & HARDING FILLIES' HANDICAP (3.40pm) over a mile and a quarter for three-year-old fillies. The remaining races on October 8 are the £8,000 WILSONS HR MAIDEN STAKES (4.50pm) and the £5,000 "SKY BET PRESS RED TO BET" HANDICAP (5.25pm) over a mile.

Saturday, October 9, offers further quality races, with the main attraction of the day being the £40,000 K J PIKE & SONS LTD CORNWALLIS STAKES (2.50pm) over five furlongs (2.50pm). This Group Three contest was inaugurated in 1946 and last year's winner was Majestic Missile, while the roll of honour can boast the likes of Absalom, Hallgate and Argentum. Sharplaw Star, a stablemate of Majestic Missile, is being aimed at the race this year.

Providing the main support is the £32,000 Listed EUROPEAN BREEDERS' FUND HARVEST STAKES (1.45pm) over a mile and half for fillies and mares, a race largely dominated by Sir Michael Stoute and Luca Cumani in recent years. Regular Salisbury sponsors Axminster Carpets step in to support the opening race of the afternoon, the £20,000 AXMINSTER CARPETS NURSERY HANDICAP (1.15pm). There is further highly-competitive action with the £20,000 APPROACH VAUXHALL HANDICAP (2.20pm) over a mile and a quarter while the seven-race card also features the £8,000 OCTOBER NOVICE STAKES (3.25pm), the £8,000 MIDDLETON PARTNERS MAIDEN FILLIES' STAKES (4.00pm) and the concluding £10,000 "PLAY ROULETTE ON SKY VEGAS CHANNEL 295" HANDICAP (4.35pm).

Gates open at noon on October 8 and at 11am on October 9. Admission prices are the same as at all other Salisbury meetings - Members £16, Tattersalls £10 and Course £5 and advanced admission rates will be available until September 30. As at all Salisbury's racedays, accompanied children under 16 are admitted FREE. A big screen is in operation on both days of the meeting to ensure that racegoers miss none of the action and full-colour racecards are also available.

Jeremy Martin, Clerk of the Course and General Manager at Salisbury, said: "Salisbury is absolutely thrilled to be staging these top-quality days on October 8 and 9. Our thanks go to Ascot and the British Horseracing Board for making this feast of racing possible.

"With both days featured live on the BBC, this promises to be one of the proudest moments in the history of Salisbury racecourse and we look forward to welcoming the country's leading trainers and jockeys.

"Salisbury racecourse has had a great 2004 with winners such as Norse Dancer and New Morning and the highly promising two-year-old fillies Suez and Joint Aspiration. The two days provide the perfect finale."

There is also a six-race programme at Salisbury on Wednesday, September 29, when the highlight is the £16,000 AVERTI CONDITIONS STAKES for two-year-olds. Gates open at noon, with the first race at 2.30pm.

For further information, please call Salisbury Racecourse on 01722 326461.

RACE PROGRAMME

Friday, October 8

Total £113,000

Saturday, October 9

Total £138,000

MEETING TOTAL £251,000

All races will also be broadcast live on At The Races.

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