Jockey Club Racecourses have announced the extension of their Triple Crown for steeplechasers for the 2016/17 jumps season. If any horse wins the G1 Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, the 32red King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and the G1 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, connections will receive a £1-million bonus split 65% to the winning owners, 15% to the trainer, 10% to the trainers stable staff and 10% to the jockey. The scheme was initiated last season and came close to being won when Cue Card (GB) (King's Theatre {Ire}) landed the first two legs only to fall at the third last at Cheltenham when right in contention.
Paul Fisher, group managing director of JCR commented, “We'd love a special horse to capture the public's imagination and take their place in racing folklore by winning The Jockey Club Chase Triple Crown. It was fantastic to hear people label last season's bonus contender, Cue Card, as 'the People's Horse' and we look forward to the challenge.”
Paul Nicholls, who trained Kauto Star (Fr) (Village Star {Fr}) to win the same three legs of the challenge in 2006/07 added, “Kauto Star winning the Betfair Chase, King George and Cheltenham Gold Cup in the same season really cemented his legend among the public. You've got to be a special horse, but he showed it could be done and it's great for jump racing that The Jockey Club is putting up this bonus challenge.”
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