Prize-Money Boost For York Feature

York Racecourse has announced a prize-money boost for its flagship race the G1 Juddmonte International with this year's renewal set to be worth £1,000,000, up from £900,000 in 2016. Also benefitting from a purse injection are the G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks and the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. with both races to be worth £350,000 this year. The Juddmonte International is ranked the best race in Britain on international ratings and last year Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) saw off subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), joining some of the previous illustrious winners of the last decade such as Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}).

Teddy Grimthorpe, York chairman and racing manager for Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms, said, “Attracting the best horses to run in competitive races on the Knavesmire is what we are all about; so I am pleased that the unstinting support from long standing sponsors has allowed us to increase prize-money for our feature races again this year. The Juddmonte International will reach a notable landmark demonstrating the generous support of Prince Khalid for a race that I know he cherishes.”

Incidentally last year's Juddmonte International winner Postponed was reported by Roger Varian to be on target for a return trip to Dubai having pleased the trainer in a workout on Saturday morning. “All's well with Postponed and he worked nicely this morning. He's where he was at this stage last year fitness-wise and he'll have a couple more bits of work before heading out to Dubai,” Varian said. Last year Postponed warmed up for success in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic with a win in the G2 Dubai City Of Gold and Varian is happy to follow a similar path this year with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's 6-year-old. “Running him in the City Of Gold as a prep worked out well last year and there's no reason to change that. I couldn't be happier with him,” he added.