The Melbourne Racing Club has announced a brace of six-figure bonuses attached to its Spring Carnival features as nominations for the BMW Caulfield Cup, Caulfield Guineas and Schweppes Thousand Guineas closed today.The Club made the announcement as it took 25 internationally-trained nominations, among 222 in total, for the 2012 BMW Caulfield Cup.The new bonuses1. BMW Caulfield Cup - Zipping ClassicAny horse that runs in the 2012BMWCaulfield Cup that goes on to win the 2012 Zipping Classic will c

The Melbourne Racing Club has announced a brace of six-figure bonuses attached to its Spring Carnival features as nominations for the BMW Caulfield Cup, Caulfield Guineas and Schweppes Thousand Guineas closed today.

The Club made the announcement as it took 25 internationally-trained nominations, among 222 in total, for the 2012 BMW Caulfield Cup.

The new bonuses

1. BMW Caulfield Cup - Zipping Classic

Any horse that runs in the 2012BMWCaulfield Cup that goes on to win the 2012 Zipping Classic will collect a $100,000 bonus.

2. BMW Caulfield Cup/Melbourne Cup - Sandown Cup

Any horse that is a final acceptor for either theBMWCaulfield Cup or Melbourne Cup but fails to gain a start (in either race) then wins the Sandown Cup will obtain a $100,000 bonus.

Melbourne Racing Club Chief Executive Officer, Alasdair Robertson, lauded the bonuses as another stride forward in the ongoing internationalisation of the BMW Caulfield Cup as well as a boost for the Spring Racing Carnival overall.

"As the world's richest turf handicap over the classic mile-and-a-half distance, and sitting in the top flight of races of any distance or surface worldwide in terms of prize money, plus already boasting multiple European-trained winners, the BMW Caulfield Cup is a truly global event," Mr Robertson said.

"These bonuses provide both local and visiting stables with additional encouragement to target the BMW Caulfield Cup, whilst also providing worthy consolation to horses competing at the highest level in the spring without achieving the ultimate success.

"The Zipping Classic is a race well-established as one of the highest quality, exemplified by last year's quinella of Americain and Manighar. Our aim is to build the Sandown Cup to an event of that level, with the added attraction of its two-mile trip to accommodate stayers, either visiting or local, on the fringe of the feature cups."

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