Ascot racecourse has announced that total prize money to be won at the Royal meeting in June 2013 will reach £5 million for the first time. There is now a minimum prize pool of £60,000 across all races at the five-day Royal meeting.
On the Tuesday the St James’ Palace Stakes now has prize money of £350,000, an increase of £100,000 from 2012, whilst the Coventry Stakes has risen from £85,000 to £120,000 in 2013.
The Windsor Forest Stakes has been renamed the Duke of Cambridge Stakes and has had the prize money increased by £25,000 to £125,000.
On the Friday the Coronation Stakes is also now worth £350,000.
The Diamond Jubilee Stakes remains the most valuable race at the Royal Ascot meeting with a prize pool of £500,000.
Charles Barnett, Chief Executive at Ascot, explained:
“We have worked hard to make the international races competitive globally in recent years and our focus this year has been to enhance the top three-year-old races, the feature handicaps, the two-year-old championships and the programme generally. It is very important to us to have a significant minimum amount on offer, and we have set that at £60,000.”
“We have seen some remarkable racing at Ascot in recent years and whilst the importance of winning at Royal Ascot both in terms of prestige and in value to the bloodstock industry can't be denied, increasing prize money is equally crucial to attracting the best horses to run in a highly competitive market.”
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