GRV and the Bendigo Greyhound Racing Association are excited to announce a new race to be included in the upcoming Bendigo Cup Carnival – the Battlers Cup.
The new event is aimed at creating an opportunity for the lesser performed greyhounds and the smaller and hobby type trainer, to compete for a higher stakes event and share the spotlight on a bigger stage.
Offering $5000 to the winner, with a total final stake of $7750 over 425m at Bendigo, the Battlers Cup will no doubt become a target for trainers with Tier 3 dogs and GRV and the BGRA are expecting the race to prove very popular.
“The BGRA is always keen to look at ways to provide opportunities for participants at all levels and our two carnivals offer a host of different types of races, but none for the lower tier grade of greyhound,” said BGRA Manager, Troy Harley.
“To ensure the race series serves the purpose it is supposed to, quite a few conditions of eligibility have been placed on it so we are extremely grateful for GRV’s support in accepting the conditions and supporting the stakes level and, who knows, it might be the first of several of these types of races”.
Greyhound racing in Victoria provides opportunities for greyhounds of all abilities to compete and GRV is focused on ensuring that continues. A race of the kind is a bonus for participants, who keep turning up week in, week out, at Tier 3 race meetings for the love of the dog and the competition.
GRV CEO Alan Clayton believes it to be a great concept and reward for the hard working and loyal participants.
“GRV is continually looking at ways we can help the grass roots participants and the hobby trainers that have great passion for the industry, who rarely get the chance to compete for feature race stakes,” Mr Clayton said.
“We were very quick to support the race concept, conditions and level of stake money and look forward to seeing the interest in this series and wish everyone who competes in it the best of luck”.
Details of the inaugural Battlers Cup, to be run at Bendigo over 425m are:
Dates: Heats Wednesday June 24 (up to 12 heats); Final Friday July 3 Final.
Prize Money: 1st $5,000; 2nd $1,500; 3rd $750; unplaced runners $100. A consolation will also be conducted for provincial full stakes
Eligibility:
- Tier 3 eligible at close of nominations
- Must be in trainers care as 25 May 2020
- Maiden ineligible
- Minimum 10 starts at close of nominations
- No city wins (full stake metro)
- No city starts (full start metro) after 1 June 2020
- Last 5 starts must have been in tier 3 or ranking races at close of nominations
- If more than 96 entries are received a random ballot will be done to determine the runners drawn with no trainer guarding
