By ROY WARD
SATURDAY racing returns to Sandown Lakeside track this Saturday with two premier jumps races.
The Melbourne Racing Club will stage Melbourne’s only Saturday jumps fixture for the season featuring the $101,500 Australian Hurdle (3400 metres) and the $101,500 Australian Steeplechase (3900m). Both events are listed as premier jumping events for Australia.
This year marks the 131st running of the premier jumping events, two of the oldest events on the Victorian racing calendar.
Over the three meetings of June 2, July 15 and 29 there will be $853,000 in prizemoney on offer for Australasia’s best jumpers.
The Australian Hurdle, Australian Steeplechase, Grand National Hurdle, Crisp Steeplechase, JJ Houlahan Hurdle and the Grand National Steeplechase are all part of the $2.26million JJ Houlahan Jumps Championship.
The championship, named after Australia’s greatest modern day jumps trainer, covers Australia’s 18 premier jumps races in two states (Victoria and South Australia) between April and July.
The championship goes to the jumps horse, jockey and trainer who each accumulate the most points from 18 selected jumps races.
Points are awarded to the horses and their trainers and jockeys who finish in the top five of each of those championship events.
Organisers are selling dining packages for the day. Bookings can be made at 9257 7100. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 concession and children under-18 get in free with an adult.
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