The Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes meeting, held on Friday night, October 25 at The Valley, will once again herald the start of the 2019-20 VOBIS Gold Premier Race Series.
The series, which will boast a record $4.68 million in prizemoney and bonuses, is open to all VOBIS Gold nominated horses and includes races for all ages, across a range of distances in metropolitan and country Victoria.
The VOBIS Gold Star (1500m) will kick off the series and is open to three-year-olds and over, offering a total of $180,000 in prizemoney and bonuses.
The 2018 edition of the race was won by the Rosemont Stud owned-Iconoclasm, who also went on to win the $250,000 VOBIS Gold Sprint at Caulfield in April this year.
These wins, among others, contributed to over $375,00 worth of prizemoney and VOBIS bonuses earned last year by the five-year-old entire, who was sired by Group One winner Toorak Toff.
The VOBIS Gold Star will be followed by the $205,000 VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade (1400m) for three-year-olds, which will be run at Ballarat on Sportsbet Ballarat Cup Day on November 23.
The VOBIS Gold Premier Race Series features 18 races from October 2019 to July 2020 and is highlighted by the $1 million Ladbrokes Showdown, and this season’s introduction of the $500,000 VOBIS Sires race for three-year-olds, both of which will be run on Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday at Caulfield on 25 July, 2020.
To view the full 2019-20 VOBIS Gold Premier Race Series and for further information on the VOBIS program, please visit racingvictoria.com.au/vobis.