New Sportsbet Up & Coming Stars Series set to give grassroots racing another boost in Victoria 

The inaugural Sportsbet Up & Coming Stars Series, featuring the four richest maiden races held in Victoria this season, will be launched this autumn culminating in a $300,000 grand finale at Caulfield in April. 

At $925,000, which includes a $25,000 prize pool for the Sportsbet Jockey Contest, the Up & Coming Stars will officially become Australia’s richest race series for maiden horses when it kicks off with a $100,000 3YO Maiden Plate (1200m) at Caulfield Heath on Wednesday, 4 March. 

Following the series opener, six more heats will be staged at Sportsbet-sponsored racetracks before the inaugural winner of the Up & Coming Stars Final is crowned at Caulfield on Saturday, 11 April. The 1st and 2nd placegetters in each heat will progress through to the Final.

With the Future Stars Series resuming last week at Pakenham and the second edition of the Emerging Stars Series wrapping up in early December, Victoria now boasts three initiatives worth at least $900,000 each which are designed specifically for maiden horses.

Riders competing across the series will have an additional incentive with the winner of the Sportsbet Jockey Contest set to collect $15,000, whilst $7,500 will be on offer to the runner-up and $3,500 goes to the third placegetter. 

Points are awarded to the first five placegetters in each of the seven heats on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis, with double points up for grabs for jockeys contesting the grand finale. 

Jockeys can also nominate one ride throughout the heats as a ‘powerplay’ where they will be eligible for double points. Jockeys must nominate powerplays with RV’s Racing Operations Department no later than 8am on the morning of that race.

“The inaugural Sportsbet Up & Coming Stars Series offers yet another opportunity for maiden horses to turbocharge their racing careers by landing a significant windfall for their connections,” said Vaughn Lynch, Racing Victoria’s Chief Operating Officer. 

“With the new Up & Coming Stars Series set to build on the success of the Emerging Stars and the Future Stars, there has never been a better time to own a maiden horse here in Victoria and so we thank Sportsbet for their significant support in getting this new concept off the ground. 

“In conjunction with our partners at Sportsbet, we are hopeful that interstate trainers will also target some of these rich heats as we build towards the inaugural Up & Coming Stars Final at Caulfield in April.”

“Sportsbet is proud to support the Sportsbet Up & Coming Stars Series, an initiative that strengthens our ongoing commitment and partnership with Racing Victoria,” said Nathan Arundell, Sportsbet’s Chief Commercial Officer.

“This series will shine a light on emerging talent and help build the next wave of stars who will carry the sport forward. 

“We’re passionate about investing in the future of the industry, and the Up & Coming Stars Series is another meaningful way we can contribute to a vibrant and sustainable racing industry in Victoria.”

The full program for the inaugural Sportsbet Up & Coming Stars Series is as follows: