Victoria’s newest Group 2 feature has a name – The Encore.
Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) christened the 2760m staying event which follows the 2019-20 Trots Country Cups Pacing Championship on RSN’s Gait Speed program earlier this week.
The winning entrant who sent the suggested race name in was Gabrielle Kennedy, who now picks up a major prize pack on the night of The Encore at Tabcorp Park Melton featuring:
- The honour of having named a new annual feature event on the Victorian trots calendar;
- A sumptuous 10-person dining + drinks package in the Legends Room on the night of May 2;
- A $1000 TAB betting voucher for the table to use throughout the night;
- A photograph with the winning horse and driver of the new race;
- A Mobile Barrier Ride at the start of the night;
- Luxurious limousine transport from Melbourne CBD for you and your whole crew!
HRV unveiled the new race and the competition last month and has since announced increases to the distances of three-year-old classics, the Derby and the Oaks, moved the pacing Oaks into the TAB Summer of Glory carnival, and reinstated grass track racing at Yarra Valley on Melbourne Cup Day.
“If you’re not innovating you’re going backwards. We’re keen to shake the product up a bit with some other big announcements in the not-too-distant future,” HRV General Manager Racing Stephen Bell said.