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5 LISTED RACES AND RECORD PRIZE MONEY

Posted 22nd April 2003

The racecourse has spent £300,000 this Winter improving some existing facilities and building new ones. The main feature is the new Members' Bar and a new balcony attached to the Bibury Bar.

Jeremy Martin, who is Clerk of the Course and Racecourse Manager, said: "Each year we like to make some improvements and we are certain that this year, our racegoers will notice an even greater difference".

The prize money at Salisbury has also received a boost and will break the £1 million barrier this year for the first time. The course will stage five Listed Races (for very good quality horses), increased from three in 2002, as well as the usual mix of competitive handicaps, maidens and other conditions races.

Reflecting on 2002, Martin stated: "We had some great racing and our usual good share of very nice two year olds. But Persian Punch's win and the equally exciting Sovereign Stakes were the highlights".

Persian Punch trained in nearby Whitsbury by David Elsworth won a Conditions event over 1m and 6f in September last year. His short-head victory over two very useful horses was a thriller, and the cheer that greeted him was the loudest that many long-standing supporters can remember at Salisbury.

The £45,000 Sovereign Stakes will be Salisbury's most valuable race in 2003, closely followed by the EBF Upavon Fillies Stakes and Axminster Carpets Cathedral Stakes. The Sovereign Stakes is a race that the Salisbury Executive want to see elevated to Group 3 status in 2004.

"Salisbury is proud to have five Listed races but we want to see the Sovereign Stakes upgraded to Group 3. We deserve a Group race bearing in mind the quality of horse we get here and our good attitude towards prize money".

The Salisbury Racecourse team were awarded for their 2002 efforts, as the year ended with the course winning a much-coveted award in racing circles. 'The Racegoers Club', a racing club with 6,000 members, administered by 'The Racecourse Association' voted Salisbury Racecourse as "The Best Small Racecourse in the South-West 2002". The award demonstrates Salisbury's position as one of the leading countryside racecourse's in the UK.

"We were all really pleased with that Award, as you can imagine, and it gives us a target to try and retain it in 2003!".

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