Countdown To Betfair Million Begins Owners and trainers of Europe and America´s top chasers this morning received an innovative invitation through their letterboxes asking them to take part in the Betfair Million, an initiative adding a thrilling - and hugely valuable - new dimension to the 2005/06 jump season in Britain.Any horse winning the new £150,000 Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday, November 19, followed by the Stan James King George VI Chase at Sandown (Monday, December 26, 2005) and the totesport Gold Cup at Cheltenham (Friday, March 17, 2006) will scoop a £1 million bonus from the leading exchange - the Betfair Million.The bonus is the most valuable ever seen in jump racing and is designed to encourage the top chasers to take each other on throughout the season.A letter from Betfair´s co-founders, Andrew Black and Edward Wray, accompanied by a specially-made mock-up of a Racing Post front page (Saturday, March 18, 2006), announcing their horse has won the Betfair Million, has been sent to the connections of the 86 top-rated chasers in Britain, Ireland, France and America.Tony Calvin, spokesman for Betfair, said: 'The Betfair Chase closes at the five-day stage on November 14 and we hope to see the top chasers from Britain, Ireland and beyond lining up at Haydock to begin the quest for the Betfair Million, the biggest prize in jump racing history.'Only those horses who contest the Betfair Chase will be eligible for the Betfair Million and - with Kicking King having landed the final two legs last season - this is one of the most achievable racing bonuses ever offered, as well as being the most valuable.''With the connections of Kicking King and Best Mate already signalling their intention to run at Haydock on November 19, as well as numerous other top class chasers, the inaugural Betfair Chase promises to ignite the 2005-06 National Hunt season.'The Betfair Chase, a Grade One contest over three miles, is the centrepiece of the first day of the North West Masters, a brand new weekend of jump racing, which takes place at Haydock on November 19 and Aintree on November 20.
