Owners of GN Hurdle topweight Gotta Take Care will take home more than $400,000 should the star jumper prevail in Sunday’s feature at Sportingbet Park.
First prize in the 3900-metre trek is $126,750, but as the winner of two legs of the Melbourne Racing Club’s Jumps Racing Bonus Series – the Galleywood and Australian Hurdles – the Darren Weir-trained gelding qualifies for an additional $300,000 if he wins on Sunday.
The series offers a $300,000 bonus to connections of any horse that can win any three of six designated races: the aforementioned pair, along with Warrnambool’s Brierly Steeplechase (won in April by Palmero), May’s Australian Steeplechase (Krase), this Sunday’s Hurdle and the Grand National Steeplechase on July 27.
No horse has won the bonus in its four-year history, first offered in 2011 as a $100,000 prize before jackpotting to the figure available this year.
Gotta Take Care will have to carry 71kg to complete the task before him in the Grand National, bettered only by Black And Bent’s effort in lumbering 72kg to victory last year, since the turn of the century.
The Hurdle is one of two jumps majors on the day; champion chaser Bashboy will also attempt to win his third consecutive Crisp Steeplechase (3900m).
Both of Sunday’s features also contribute to the $2.06 million J.J. Houlahan Jumps Championship.
