Trust In A Gust, pictured here winning last year's VOBIS Gold Carat at Caulfield
Racing Victoria (RV) has today released further details about the inaugural Victorian Breeders Race Day at Caulfield on Saturday, 18 April.
The lucrative meeting is designed to showcase the wealth of thoroughbred talent produced within the Victorian breeding industry and is highlighted by the running of four races in the VOBIS Gold Premier Race Series.
The four races, that collectively total $920,000 in prizemoney and bonuses, are;
- The $180,000 VOBIS Gold Ingot (1200m) for Two-Year-Olds;
- The $280,000 VOBIS Gold Reef (1600m) for Three-Year-Olds;
- The $280,000 VOBIS Gold Mile (1600m) for Four-Year-Olds; and
- The $180,000 VOBIS Gold Sprint (1200m) for Three and Four-Year-Olds.
The day will also feature a trackside showcase of some of Victoria’s Approved Syndicate Promoters, offering racegoers the opportunity to gain a greater understanding about thoroughbred ownership ahead of the Inglis VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale at Oaklands Junction on 19 and 20 April.
RV’s Executive General Manager – Racing, Greg Carpenter, said the unique raceday was designed to showcase the exciting racing talent that continues to emerge from Victoria’s burgeoning breeding industry.
And with $19.4 million in prizemoney and bonuses on offer across Super VOBIS and VOBIS Gold this season, Carpenter also issued a reminder to owners and breeders of 2013-born foals that nominations for Super VOBIS close this Monday, 2 February.
“Racing Victoria is pleased to provide a focal point for the industry with the Victorian Breeders Race Day in April, which will be highlighted by the running of four races in this season’s VOBIS Gold Premier Race Series,” Carpenter said.
“The VOBIS Gold Premier Race Series has been the source of some fantastic racing since its inception in the 2012/13 season and we’ve witnessed the emergence of talented horses, including Group 1 winners Trust In A Gust and May’s Dream.
“To be eligible to contest the VOBIS Gold Premier Race Series and compete for VOBIS Gold bonuses for the duration of their racing career, horses must first be nominated and paid up for its mother scheme, Super VOBIS.
“Last year Super VOBIS nominations exceeded 2500 yearlings for the first time since 2001 and, with nominations for 2013-born foals closing this Monday, we are on track to better that benchmark once again.
“With a record $19.4 million in prizemoney and bonuses on offer this season across VOBIS Gold and Super VOBIS, there has never been a better time to breed, buy, own and race a horse in Victoria.”
One trainer who will specifically target the Victorian Breeders Race Day is Kyneton horseman George Osborne who is set to tackle the VOBIS Gold Mile with talented gelding Written Up.
A winner of last year’s Listed Bendigo Guineas (1600m), Written Up has been placed in four legs of the VOBIS Gold Premier Race Series during his career and has collected in excess of $170,000 in Super VOBIS and VOBIS Gold prizemoney and bonuses for connections.
Instead of targeting Stakes races in Melbourne, Sydney or Adelaide during the upcoming carnival period, Osbourne said it made sense to continue to chase the VOBIS Gold riches on offer in Victoria throughout the season.
“He (Written Up) is back in work and he’s going fantastic,” Osborne told RSN.
“He’ll resume on 9 March in a 1200m race, then step up to 1400m and then he’ll head to the VOBIS Gold race (VOBIS Gold Mile) worth $250,000 in the middle of April.
“It’s (VOBIS Gold) absolutely sensational and we’ve had it on our radar for quite some time because it’s more valuable to us than a Group race over the Carnival so we decided to not even look at those races and aim up for the VOBIS Gold.
“He’s a gelding and the money is fantastic and the race is restricted to four-year-olds that have paid up so it plays into our hands and we’re going to have him as good as we can for that day.”
More information about Super VOBIS and VOBIS Gold, including links to nomination forms, are available here.
RV’s Customer First Centre (1300 139 401 or vobis@racingvictoria.net.au) will remain open across the weekend (10am – 2pm on Saturday and Sunday) to receive final calls, nominations and payments ahead of Monday’s 5pm nomination deadline.