Beckett Blasts Poor Prize Money as No Runners Declared For Newbury Race

[Wandering Eyes]

Irish Derby-winning trainer Ralph Beckett has blasted the poor prize money on offer in Britain in response to no runners being declared for the final race at Newbury on Saturday.

Beckett, who sent out Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to win the Curragh Classic last month, labelled the purse for the Newbury race that did not attract a single declaration “a disgrace.”

He said, “£6,500 for a novice race at a Grade 1 track on a Saturday is a disgrace. Furthermore, when the race conditions were published a month ago, it was published at £5,300. It was only upped on Monday and that was too little, too late.”

Beckett added, “Horsemen are independent people and are fed up with the derisory prize money on offer in general and in this instance they decided to vote with their feet.”

In what can only be viewed as a boycott in response to the issue of poor prize money, not one of the 13 entries for the Stonegate Homes Fillies' Novice S. were declared.

The 10-furlong contest had a prize fund of £6,500, the same as the opening contest on the card, for which 11 runners were declared.

Some of the biggest yards in the country had entries at the initial stage, including John and Thady Gosden, Saeed bin Suroor, Roger Varian and Beckett.

The feature Super Sprint carries £200,000 in prize money while the bet365 Hackwood S. and the Highclere Castle Gin S. both carry a prize fund of £60,000.

Beckett, who is president of the National Trainers' Federation, has decided to run his entrant elsewhere due to the prize money on offer. 

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