Kilmore Harness Racing Club CEO Ben Murphy says the club is excited about its annual Pacing Cup being shifted to Saturdaynight, March 19.
Stake money for the 2016 Kilmore Pacing Cup has been increased to $70,000 from $60,000 and the race will carry Group 2 status.
The race’s conditions have also changed, the Cup distance shortened from 3150m to 2690m and from a standing start event to a random barrier draw mobile start race.
Additionally the club’s Kilmore Trotters Cup on the same program has increased to a $20,000 purse and carries Group 3 status.
“We’re excited to shift the Cup program to a Saturday night,” Murphy said.
“It gives us an opportunity to showcase high-class harness racing in regional Victoria.”
Murphy said he hoped the change to conditions of the race and the new date would help attract “the best horses in Australasia” to contest the event.
“The Kilmore Pacing Cup is a good horse’s race and we were very keen to position the race to encourage the best to come and compete,” he said.
“It is also an opportunity for the Kilmore Trotters Cup to attract horses that the week before have competed in the Great Southern Star.”
Murphy said the changes were made after feedback from the industry.
“Working closely with HRV and seeking feedback from participants we took the decision that to enhance the quality of the race we needed to look at the starting conditions and race distance,” he said.
“We are confident that horses that have competed in the Grand Circuit races will see the Kilmore Pacing Cup as a real option with the changes we have made.
“It is the showcase period for harness racing in Victoria and the Kilmore Pacing Cup takes its rightful place among the other races conducted in this strong period.”
HRV and the Association of Victorian Country Harness Racing Clubs have welcomed the changes.
The 2015 Kilmore Pacing Cup was taken out by Emma Stewart-trained Guaranteed, defeating Im Corzin Terror and Flaming Flutter.
Guaranteed went on to win the Group 1 SA Cup in January this year and ran fourth in the Victoria Cup, Im Corzin Terror won the Ballarat Cup and placed fifth in the Inter Dominion Final, while Flaming Flutter ran second in the Inter Dominion Final and the SA Cup.
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