Perth Racing chairman Ted Van Heemst announced a $250,000 increase in prize-money for Western Australia’s premier sprint, the Group 2 Winterbottom Stakes (on Saturday November 27 at Ascot) to take the prize-money to a total of $750,000. This makes the Winterbottom Stakes the 3rd richest sprint race in Australia only behind the $1 million Newmarket Handicap at Flemington and the $1 million Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.
In recent years the Winterbottom Stakes has rated above the 110 benchmark required for Group 1 status. Just two years ago Takeover Target and Apache Cat fought out a memorable finish. Last year Ortensia claimed victory.