The Golden Slipper has lost its status as the richest race in Sydney but Racing NSW Chairman John Messara is adamant the introduction of The Championship's won't take the gloss off the feature two-year-old event. Prizemoney for the Golden Slipper will remain at $3.5 million, which is slightly inferior to the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), now the richest prize in Sydney racing.
"I don’t think it will take away from the Golden Slipper, the Golden Slipper has a real place in the carnival, in fact the Golden Slipper carnival remains unchanged and untouched," he said.
"It will continue to be a very important race of the carnival and I don’t think it (The Championships) has an impact on the Golden Slipper, it is not intended too and I don’t think it has."
The Golden Slipper will be run next year on April 6 and while the Queen Of The Turf Stakes will be lost from the program, other races including the George Ryder Stakes have been upgraded.
More than $2 million in prizemoney has been added to the Sydney autumn carnival outside The Championship including;
- Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) has increased from $400,000 to $1 million
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Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) has increased from $350,000 to $500,000
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Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) has increased from $500,000 to $600,000
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Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) has increased from $400,000 to $500,000
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Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) has increased from $175,000 to $400,000
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Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1200m) has increased from $200,000 to $250,000
In addition, minimum prizemoney levels for Group 2 races have been lifted from $150,000 to $175,000, Group 3 races from $125,000 to $150,000 and Listed races lift from $100,000 to $125,000.