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By Ray Hickson

Tweed River Jockey Club chief executive Tim Booth believes an increase in prizemoney to $85,000 for next month’s Riverview Hotel Murwillumbah Cup has the club in a good position to attract the strongest field yet.

It’s the third time in five years the race has seen a boost in stakes, this time by $15,000, and Booth said it’s a direct result of the success and impact of the Big Dance series across the state.

Back in 2020 the Murwillumbah Cup was worth $40,000 and a year later it increased to $50,000, it jumped again to $70,000 when the Big Dance concept was introduced in 2022.

Tweed River Jockey Club manager Tim Booth (Pic: Trackside).

“It’s a tremendous result for the Tweed River Jockey Club, it’s something the club has been committed to for a number of years to increase the club’s profile and embrace the Big Dance series,’’ Booth said.

“When the Big Dance came around the board made the decision to go to $70,000 and we’re pleased to be able to increase it again.”

Local trainer Matthew Dunn has won two of three editions of the Cup since the $3 million Big Dance was introduced with Impasse in 2022 and Cranky Harry last year.

Between them Bjorn Baker targeted the race and took home the prize when Wategos beat out the Dunn-trained Eaglemont.

Booth said it’s important the race is attractive both from a racing perspective and as an event.

“It’s a bit like when the NRL teams go and play in the bush, it gives us the opportunity to bring the best possible horses to the bush,’’ he said.

“Matt’s won it twice but he’s won it with genuine metropolitan horses and the year he didn’t win Bjorn Baker won with Wategos.

“In the first year of the Big Dance concept we had horses that were Group 1 placed (Giannis who ran third) in the Murwillumbah Cup, that’d never happened before.”

The TRJC has also secured a partnership with Chandon which Booth said will help increase the profile of the Cup meeting and the club with the wider public.

“People come to the races primarily for the racing but there are lots of people who come to the races for the experience and the day out,’’ he said.

“The come for the social side of it and we cater to them by making the racing more attractive because it creates a better scene on track.

“We’re a little track with not many trainers but the trainers we do have really do punch above their weight as the club as a whole does.”

The $85,000 Big Dance eligible Riverview Hotel Murwillumbah Cup (1550m) is run on August 22.

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