Winter Derby Winner Goes To Hollywood Hollywood Park Racecourse in Los Angeles, USA, has generously offered the winner of the #100,000 Winter Derby at Lingfield Park a free qualification to enter the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on Saturday, June 30, 2007.The Hollywood Gold Cup is a Grade 1 handicap for three-year-olds and upwards and is run over 10 furlongs on the new highly popular 'Cushion Track' laid last year. The surface is very similar to Polytrack.The winner of the Winter Derby, which this year has attracted 40 high-class horses at entry stage including Epsom Derby victor Sir Percy, will be entered automatically for the Hollywood race. $10,000 will be donated for each leg of the horse's shipping costs, unless the horse wins the 68th Hollywood Gold Cup, and the entry and running fees will be free of charge, a saving of $8,500.Ian Renton, Racing Director of Arena Leisure, owners of Lingfield Park, said: 'We have been building excellent relationships with racing in the USA for some time now and, with the American tracks following our lead and building new synthetic surfaces similar to Polytrack, we have been keen to link some of our high-profile Polytrack races with the race programme in the States.'Our Winter Derby race is attracting higher quality horses every year and we were obviously delighted at the standard of horses this year headed by Derby winner Sir Percy. We hope that the winner of this year's race may wish to take up the opportunity to race in the Hollywood Gold Cup.'The Winter Derby takes place at Lingfield Park, over 10 furlongs on Polytrack, on Saturday, March 24. The British Racecourse, in the county of Surrey, is 30 miles south of the centre of London.
