The Melbourne Cup for greyhounds will be even more valuable in 2008.NEXT year’s Schweppes Melbourne Cup for greyhounds has received a stunning 20 per cent prize money boost, making it Australia’s first $250,000 dog race.
The winning connections will receive $175,000, ensuring the Group 1 classic remains as the major race on the greyhound racing calendar.
Sandown Greyhound Racing Club chairman Geoff Dawson announced the additional prize money last week.
The 2008 final of the cup will carry the massive purse with the runner-up pocketing $50,000 and third place to be worth $25,000.
“We believe the Schweppes Melbourne Cup is the most prestigious race in Australia, and this boost in prize money will help secure its status as the pinnacle of greyhound racing in Australia,” Dawson said.
In addition to the increased Melbourne Cup purse, the club will now run a Melbourne Cup Consolation worth $10,000 to the winner on the night of the final, replacing the Cup Night Sprints.
The changes come on the back of an extremely successful 2007 Sky Channel Superdogs carnival, in which the Schweppes Melbourne Cup meeting became the first Victorian greyhound meeting to exceed $1 million in TAB turnover.
The conditions for the Radio Sport 927 Shootout have also been substantially revamped.
The race will no longer carry an entrance fee, and the four runners will now compete for a winner takes all purse of $20,000.
The event will carry Group 3 status and the field will be determined based on the best nominations received.
