The 2020 Victorian jumps racing season commences today at Warrnambool with two hurdles and a steeplechase programmed at the iconic jumps track.
The trio are the first of 61 jumps races – the same as 2019 – scheduled across eight country tracks and metropolitan-based Sandown between today and 23 August.
Over $3.8 million in prizemoney will be on offer for owners, trainers and jockeys this season across 39 hurdles and 22 steeplechases.
Today marks the first of six jumps meetings at Warrnambool – the most of any track - with the Club’s famous three-day May Carnival, headlined by the $350,000 Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m), set down for 5 to 7 May.
Later in the season on Sunday, 19 July, Racing.com Park (Pakenham) will again host the Mosstrooper Jumps Raceday after a successful first running of the meeting last year.
The season will again reach its finale with the $350,000 Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) at Ballarat on Sunday, 23 August, where the six-race meeting will remain exclusive to jumps racing and offer $630,000 in prizemoney.
One of the primary changes to the 2020 program is the return of jumps racing to Sale - who did not host a meeting in 2019 - with the Club scheduled to conduct three jumps races as part of their 12 May program.
The other key change is the move of the $50,000 Eulong Steeplechase (3200m) meeting at Hamilton forward a week to Sunday, 29 March to avoid a clash with South Australia’s revamped Oakbank program.
To view the 2020 Jumps Racing Program click here.