Grand National stake increase

[Pete Lane 1,445]

,

Friday 9 May 2025

MEDIA RELEASE

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$200,000 Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Grand National Steeplechase

The Canterbury Jockey Club is delighted to announce that in conjunction with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and the Trustees of the Christchurch Racecourse, the 2025 Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge sponsored Grand National Steeplechase will be run for a stake of $200,000.

To be held on Saturday 9 August, this year’s renewal of one of Riccarton Park’s signature races will be contested for the 150th time, something that was not lost on the Trustees.

Peter Cordner, Chairman of the Trustees of the Christchurch Racecourse said “In 1878 the land now commonly known as Riccarton Park Racecourse was vested in the Trustees of the Christchurch Racecourse. It is fitting that our Board supports the celebration of the 150th running of a race that is such an integral part of the fabric of this famous piece of New Zealand land that we administer”.

Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge principal Nigel Butterfield said “Our hotel has sat opposite Riccarton Park Racecourse since 1883 and is honoured to be associated with one of New Zealand racing’s iconic events. The pub has hosted countless Grand National celebrations and welcomes this synergy with the Canterbury Jockey Club continuing.”

The Grand National Steeplechase joins other iconic Riccarton Park races the New Zealand Cup and Canterbury Gold Cup as having reached their sesquicentennial.

[scooby3051 13,675]

To me this is where everything goes wrong, where are the horses going to come from for this...there is NO jumps races in the SI any more it just seems to me a dying race...or am I wrong here???It has a long history but how long will NI stables fork out the cost to go down to support it...sorry but it looks another bad decision.

[We're Doomed 6,139]

I get the impression the trustees of the racecourse are pretty thick. They seem to waste money on things that have no upside. 

Last season they pissed away $100,000 adding an extra bonus to the NZ Cup, which I doubt hardly anyone knew about as it wasn't included in the stake.

Now all concerned have doubled the stake of the Grand National. What do they hope to achieve by that? Possibly increase the field size from 8 to 9. Possibly increase turnover by $2,000. Do they think the people of ChCh are going to think "wow the grand National is worth $200,000 this year, lets pop along." Do they not realise the value of a big stake like that is mostly in the way it creates interest in lead up races. But there are no lead up races at Riccarton or in the SI.

What do SI trainers think of their so called premium club pissing away another $100,000 to help out Northern trainers? I doubt it is going to boost southern participation in the race. Perhaps if they had reintroduced the Homeby two weeks before and made it $100,000 it might have achieved something.

I hate to sound negative, but what a waste of money. If they had put that $100,000 into The Stewards during Cup Week and made it $250,000 they might have lifted it up to a group race where it belongs and attracted extra subsidies.

Makes everyone involved look pretty dopey.

[Pete Lane 1,445]

I’d say Kevin Myers and Mark Oulaghan would be rubbing their hands with glee at this news.

Complete waste of money in my view. 

.

 

[nomates 5,853]

Be lucky if they get more than 7/8 runners .

More scatter gun strategy out of NZTR .

I would love to know the actual rationale behind this increase .

Meanwhile others are struggling on reduced 17k stakes .

[mikenz 1,313]

One would be hoping it's not wet and run on the Synthetic, be hard on the horses, probably wouldn't do the track any good either

[scooby3051 13,675]

I will give you the benefit of very grave doubts that you are not serious....

[mikenz 1,313]

I'm only serious 50% of the time, you get the best of both worlds that way

 

[Tesio 75]

WTF are CJC thinking……..can the strategic decision making of that joint get any worse 

[Leggy 4,233]

16 minutes ago, Tesio said:

WTF are CJC thinking……..can the strategic decision making of that joint get any worse 

You do have to wonder. Since there are no jumpers in the SI, why not put the money towards fully funding costs for connections willing to bring jumpers down for the meeting, if the purpose is to improve field sizes?

[TurnyTom 1,829]

Absolutely no logic or business case in this decision

Just plain dumb, crazy

[Demophon 40]

As a jump racing fan I think the stakes increase is outstanding.     Any whispers about the Grand National Hurdles Stakes?

 

The club will be rewarded with full fields and a great carnival.

[mikenz 1,313]

They may have had intentions of running the steeples on a Central Districts but they couldn't find one suitable.

[We're Doomed 6,139]

1 hour ago, Tesio said:

WTF are CJC thinking……..can the strategic decision making of that joint get any worse 

Probably

[We're Doomed 6,139]

9 minutes ago, Demophon said:

As a jump racing fan I think the stakes increase is outstanding.     Any whispers about the Grand National Hurdles Stakes?

 

The club will be rewarded with full fields and a great carnival.

Define full fields

[Demophon 40]

5 minutes ago, We're Doomed said:

Define full fields

12 in the steeples and 12 in the hurdles.  That will also be the maximun amount of riders as well.  There are a few riders over from the UK to increase rider numbers

[Baz (NZ) 1,769]

Could this be a case of just "Berrying The Cash" until August?

[JJ Flash 2,715]

11 hours ago, scooby3051 said:

I will give you the benefit of very grave doubts that you are not serious....

Based on his many previous posts on here i doubt it

[nomates 5,853]

1 hour ago, JJ Flash said:

Based on his many previous posts on here i doubt it

I didn't want to say anything but I thought he was stretching it saying he was only serious 50% of the time , I couldn't put it above 5%.

[Who Moi 21]

obviously Berry The Cash will be steeplechasing this season.  Crazy decision trying to stave off the inevitable move north.  That money would be way better going into 2 or 3 lead up races in the south to build momentum, media and punter interest.  

[Toblerone 247]

In 2006, the 100th running of the Great Western Steeplechase at Riverton saw the stake raised from XXX to $100,000.

A field of nine was drawn but it drew the champion jumper No Hero, who won by 26L.
Also there was the top performers Crafty Dancer, Bit Of A Myth (all the way from Cambridge) and the top locals, Kalsoy and Variable. 
A huge crowd turned out and it remains to this day a memorable race and meeting.

The year before? 4 horses - all locals - for $10,000 and the third horse was beaten 88L.

In 2004? 5 horses for $10,000..

the year after that 100th running, they got 5 horses (granted, for a stake of $53,000) and only 2 horses finished.

Now, I get it Riverton and Riccarton isn't apples with apples but my opinion is you are nothing without the history of horse racing.

That 100th running of the Great Western was a momentous occasion and fitting tribute to the race that had been entrenched in Southland racing for a century.

The Grand National is bigger and I am sure the increased stake will ensure there are no ifs, buts or maybes around the best local jumpers.

[Toblerone 247]

55 minutes ago, Toblerone said:

 saw the stake raised from XXX to $100,000.

 

 saw the stake raised from $10,000 to $100,000.

[Pam Robson 1,938]

59 minutes ago, Toblerone said:

In 2006, the 100th running of the Great Western Steeplechase at Riverton saw the stake raised from XXX to $100,000.

A field of nine was drawn but it drew the champion jumper No Hero, who won by 26L.
Also there was the top performers Crafty Dancer, Bit Of A Myth (all the way from Cambridge) and the top locals, Kalsoy and Variable. 
A huge crowd turned out and it remains to this day a memorable race and meeting.

The year before? 4 horses - all locals - for $10,000 and the third horse was beaten 88L.

In 2004? 5 horses for $10,000..

the year after that 100th running, they got 5 horses (granted, for a stake of $53,000) and only 2 horses finished.

Now, I get it Riverton and Riccarton isn't apples with apples but my opinion is you are nothing without the history of horse racing.

That 100th running of the Great Western was a momentous occasion and fitting tribute to the race that had been entrenched in Southland racing for a century.

The Grand National is bigger and I am sure the increased stake will ensure there are no ifs, buts or maybes around the best local jumpers.

Define 'local jumpers' please?

[scooby3051 13,675]

31 minutes ago, Pam Robson said:

Define 'local jumpers' please?

There are no local as In South Island jumpers....they are all imports from the North......I think he is a bit confused Pam.

[mikenz 1,313]

So the question is if there are no mainland runners how long before the Grand National is  obsolete at Riccarton  where else if not there,? CD maybe but where,?

Just watched a race from.Whanganui and no Justin Evens again, seems to miss more meetings than he's at, would trackside miss him if he was no longer employed?