TBA applauds R1 million stake for Empress Club Stakes in 2008

THE Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association  (TBA) has applauded the decision taken by Phumelela and the Racing Association to increase the prize money for the Empress Club Stakes at Turffontein next year to R1 million.

Two of the five principal races for fillies and mares will now be run for R1 million after the TBA announced that the Paddock Stakes at Kenilworth on 5 January, which it sponsors, will be run for that stake.

A release from the TBA said one of its primary objectives is to reduce the number of top fillies and mares leaving South Africa to race and breed overseas and its chairman Adv Altus Joubert and his committee believes that higher stakes will go some way to persuade owners and breeders to keep their top female runners at home. These horses will in time become the breeding stock on South African stud farms and improve the quality of the local breed.

The other Grade 1 events the TBA would like to see given huge stake increases are the R400 000 Majorca Stakes at Kenilworth, the R350 000 SA Fillies Sprint (Scottsville) and the R350 000 Garden Province Stakes (Greyville).

Extract from Mike de Kock Racing

Visit Thoroughbred Breeder’s Association www.tba.co.za 
Visit Phumelela Gaming and Leisure www.phumelela.com
Visit The Racing Association www.racingassociation.co.za 
Visit Mike de Kock Racing www.mikedekockracing.com