Million Dollar Races for Kembla and Newcastle

Media Release - Monday June 3
Spring racing in NSW will extend beyond the Everest Carnival in Sydney with Newcastle and Kembla Grange today announced as staging standalone Saturday race meetings with $1 million feature races.

The Hunter headlining the Newcastle meeting on Saturday 16 November 2019, and the $1 million The Gong being the feature race at Kembla Grange on Saturday 23 November 2019.

Racing NSW and the respective race clubs will target attendances of 20,000 on each race day.

The Hunter and Gong meetings will be a focal point of racing in Newcastle and Wollongong and Racing NSW will heavily support the promotion of these events. Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, Kevin Anderson MP, said Racing NSW understands the need to grow the industry across the whole state, not just in the capital city, which is why this investment is so important.

"Strengthening the racing industry in NSW is more than investing in Randwick and Rosehill, we want to grow the footprint of racing beyond the city limits to Newcastle and Wollongong, and beyond to ensure every corner of the state sees the benefit of a strong racing industry," Mr Anderson said.

"These races will rival races across Australia and the world which in turn will provide a welcome boost to their local economies."

Racing NSW Chairman Mr Russell Balding AO said "These new race days will provide the chance for Newcastle and Wollongong to shine as the feature NSW meetings immediately following The Everest Carnival.

"Racing is a vital part of our social fabric and it is fitting that Newcastle and Wollongong as our next largest cities after Sydney will now have race days that they can be proud of.

"These meetings are a great opportunity for new racegoers in these cities to attend a feature event and see what racing is all about. Just as the Sydney public has embraced The Everest, we are confident that the Newcastle and Illawarra public will embrace The Hunter and The Gong as their race," Mr Balding added.

The $1 million Hunter will be a quality handicap race held at a distance of 1300m and may possibly attract runners from The Everest. The Gong will also be a quality handicap run for $1 million in prizemoney over a distance of 1600m.

The Newcastle Hunter meeting will also feature the Spring Stakes, Group 3 for three-year olds transferred from the existing Newcastle Cup meeting in September. Being the feature NSW meeting on the Saturday, both the Newcastle Hunter and The Kembla Gong race meetings will also carry support races of minimum of $125,000 in prizemoney.

In a further boost for provincial racing in NSW, the Gosford Gold Cup meeting will join the Hawkesbury Gold Cup as a standalone Saturday fixture following the conclusion of the Sydney Autumn Carnival. The Gosford Gold Cup meeting will be run on Saturday 9 May 2020.

Racing NSW Release
Advertisment
More Reading...
Justify Filly Impresses at Randwick
Talented two year-old Justify (USA) filly Just a Journey cast off maiden status at her second start at Kembla last month and had no trouble carrying winning form to town to score at Randwick on Wednesday.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday May 14
Here is the full list of 45 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Monday May 12
Here is the full list of 14 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Extreme Choice share tops May (Early) Sale at $540,000
A share in world class stallion Extreme Choice topped tonight’s Inglis Digital May (Early) Online Sale, selling for $540,000.
Dundeel 2YO Wins for Go Racing
New Zealand syndicator Go Racing looks like they have struck gold once again from the same source following Alacritous’ impressive maiden victory in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m) at Matamata on Wednesday.
One to Watch – Randwick
A two year-old Zoustar filly that is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group I winner Mizzy and was purchased for a modest $250,000 as a yearling looks to have been well bought after making a winning debut at Randwick on Wednesday.
The Oaks Stud Confirm 2025 Sire Roster
The Oaks Stud has announced its 2025 stallion line-up, headlined by U S Navy Flag, who will stand for $12,500 + GST.
Aquis Announce 2025 Fees and an Exciting New Addition
Aquis Stallions is proud to announce Prost - the explosive, Group 2 and 3 winning son of Snitzel – as the latest addition to our stallion roster for 2025.
Queensland Oaks Goal for Ace High Filly
Gifted Ace High filly She’s A Dealer will cross the Tasman later this week in a bid to make her mark at the highest level.
More Success for Maori Chief
A homebred for Go Bloodstock, well bred I Am Invincible gelding Maori Chief has a spring in his step at present and made it back-to-back wins at Randwick when scoring on Wednesday.