Thursday, 19 April 2018: Owners and breeders will be rewarded for their support of the Victorian racing industry as momentum builds ahead of the fourth annual VOBIS Raceday at Caulfield on Saturday.

A total of 118 acceptances were taken today by Racing Victoria for Saturday’s meeting as connections eye their opportunity to share in a slice of the lucrative $2.06 in prizemoney and bonuses on offer across the nine race card.
Headlining the day’s racing is a capacity field of runners entered to contest the second annual $310,000 VOBIS Sires for 2YOs.
Staged exclusively for the progeny of stallions who stand in Victoria and are also nominated to VOBIS Gold, the VOBIS Sires’ will return in a new form in 2019 as the landmark $1 million ‘The Showdown’.
The positive growth and continuing strength of Victoria’s breeding stock will also be on show in the inaugural $310,000 VOBIS Sires 3YO race and the remaining five VOBIS Gold Premier Races worth a total of $1.82 million.
The Listed TROA Anniversary Vase and the Bel Esprit Stakes have also attracted strong fields with G1-winners Santa Ana Lane, for Anthony Freedman, and Secret Agenda, for Mick Price, among the entries.
As an extra incentive to owners to attend the day and observe the quality of the racing talent on offer, RV, in conjunction with the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC), has extended an offer for all Victorian Owners’ Gold Card holders to attend free of charge in the company of one guest.
As well as receiving free racecourse entry, owners and their guests will receive a free copy of a Best Bets and access to the dedicated members’ area at the Connections Owners’ Pavilion which offers an alfresco area reserved for the exclusive enjoyment of owners.
There, owners and their guest will have the opportunity to share in the experiences and benefits of being a Victorian thoroughbred owner and speak with syndicators and other racing identities on what promises to be a thrilling day’s racing.
RV Executive General Manager – Racing, Greg Carpenter, said: “The Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday is a great celebration of participation in the Victorian racing industry, and a meeting that continues to grow in both stature and prizemoney.
“It is the industry’s ultimate aim to showcase Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday as a marquee event in 2018 and beyond, particularly as we build up to the inaugural running of the $1 million ‘The Showdown’ next year.
“The Showdown will take prizemoney for the VOBIS race component of the program beyond $2.5 million in 2019 and $2.7 million in 2020, with the VOBIS Sires three-year-old race increasing to $500,000.
“To be part of this exciting and rewarding day, owners must remember to nominate their 2016-born foals for Super VOBIS by 30 April, and to the VOBIS Gold program no later than 31 August.”
The Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday is held on the eve of the VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale, which will see 276 VOBIS-eligible yearlings go under the hammer on Sunday at the Oaklands Junction sales complex.