The six days of jump racing at Ascot later this year will offer a total prize fund of 1,427,000 GBP, including two day fixtures in November and December, each worth in excess of 500,000 GBP.

Overall prize money on offer over the jumps in 2006 represents an increase of over 600,000 GBP, or 85 percent, on the equivalent period from October to December in 2003 (5 racedays in the period in the last year of racing pre-redevelopment).

United House, sponsors at Ascot for 16 years, will continue to back the feature race on Ascots first jumps day of the season on Saturday, 28th October, a three mile open handicap chase worth 100,000 GBP. Also on the card will be a new two mile open handicap hurdle worth 80,000 GBP and the 40,000 GBP Listed two miler, previously the feature United House Chase.

The17th and 18th of November meeting is worth 537,000 GBP with the Friday fixture branded “Allied Irish Bank Day.‿ AIB were announced as an Ascot Founding Partner in December.

The feature chase on Saturdays card is a new race for Ascot, the 175,000 GBP Woodford Reserve Handicap Chase, an open race over two miles and the second most valuable handicap chase in the calendar after the John Smith?s Grand National.

Woodford Reserve is a premium bourbon distributed in the UK by Bacardi Brown-Forman.

Sharing the spotlight on that day is the Grade Two Coral Ascot Hurdle which will be run for 100,000 GBP, an increase of 65,000 GBP from when it was last run at Ascot in 2003.

“We are delighted to be back sponsoring at the new Ascot and particularly excited about the Coral Ascot Hurdle‿ said Coral spokesman Simon Clare.

“Both we and Ascot identified this race as a potential improver and one apt for a significant prize money boost. Equally, by reducing the trip just slightly to 2 miles 3 and a half furlongs, we?ll be looking to attract both Champion and Ladbrokes World Hurdle types at a time when their Cheltenham targets may not yet be clear.‿

Also on the card is the Grade 2 70,000 GBP Amlin 1965 Chase, commemorating the year that jumping began at Ascot.

Ascots December fixture, worth 520,000 GBP in total, returns on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th December, rebranded as the BGC Christmas Meeting, as CEO and Chairman Lee Amaitis explains:

“Having sponsored this fixture for six years under Cantor subsidiary banners, we are delighted to be back at Ascot sponsoring the BGC Christmas Meeting and indeed four individual races, including the 100,000 GBP Grade One Cantor Long Walk Hurdle. There can be few better places to showcase the best jumps horses than the new Ascot and we?re tremendously excited about staging such a high profile meeting there.‿

The Ladbroke Hurdle, returning to this fixture having been seconded to Sandowns January meeting during the redevelopment, is the feature race of the meeting.

“Worth 150,000 GBP, the Ladbroke is the most valuable handicap hurdle in Europe in 2006,‿said Mike Dillon of Ladbrokes.

“We are delighted to be bringing it back to its home venue and look forward to enhancing further its reputation as one of the highest quality and most competitive betting races of the season.‿

The year closes with a 100,000 GBP fixture on Saturday 30th December.

“Jumps racing is returning to Ascot with a real bang this year,‿ said Douglas Erskine-Crum, Chief Executive at Ascot.

“However, this is very much Phase One as we look to increase the profile of jumps racing at Ascot and to enhance our fixtures over the next couple of years. In the Ladbroke and the new Woodford Reserve Handicap Chase, we have the most valuable handicap hurdle in Europe this year and the second richest handicap chase. With races like those, the United House Chase, the Coral Ascot Hurdle and Cantor Long Walk Hurdle, all worth 100,000 GBP, we really want to send out a message that we intend to offer highly attractive opportunities to owners and trainers and to play a prominent part in the jumps season.‿

“I?m delighted to welcome back so many long standing sponsors, and indeed some new ones, and we look forward to promoting their races with them.‿

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