Open prize money up The three-day Open 2001 at Cheltenham in November will this year carry total prize money of nearly £500,000 with the feature Thomas Pink Gold Cup worth £100,000, 25 per cent more than last year. No race at The Open is now worth less than £12,000, a 20 per cent boost on the minimum prize money offered last season. The Thomas Pink Gold Cup, run on Saturday, November 17, over two miles and four and a half furlongs, was won in 2000 by Lady Cricket, ridden by champion jump jockey Tony McCoy and trained by Martin Pipe. Main supporting race is the £50,000 Intervet Trophy Handicap Chase, the three mile, three and a half furlong contest added to the card at last year`s meeting. Irish raider Foxchapel King landed the inaugural running 12 months ago for trainer Mouse Morris. Countryside Day on Friday, November 16, gets the three-day meeting off to a flying start with the feature being the £30,000-added Sporting Index Chase, run over Cheltenham`s unique cross-country course. On the same card is the £20,000-added Mitsubishi Shogun Trophy over two miles and the Grade 2 £25,000-added Gerrard Novices` Hurdle. The winner of the later race, if also successful in the Grade 1 Gerrard Sharp Supreme Novices` Hurdle at the National Hunt Festival at Cheltenham in March, will receive a £50,000 bonus. Saturday`s card is augmented by the £40,000-added Tote Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle, always an ultra-competitive event with prize money increased by 33 per cent this year, and a £17,500-added novices` chase, which often pinpoints some stars of the future. That comment also applies to the £30,000 Independent Novices` Chase that forms part of Sunday`s card. Best Mate won the two-mile chase last year and Fadalko took it in 1999 and both are now among the best chasers in training. Sunday`s centrepiece is the £50,000 Direct Answers Hurdle, a Listed handicap over an extended two miles. Other Sunday highlights include the £25,000-added Arch Hurdle, an intermediate handicap and the £12,000-added Gloucestershire Cricket Club Novices` Hurdle. Cheltenham`s managing director Edward Gillespie said: 'The Open goes from strength to strength and we are delighted that we have been able to increase the prize money to £484,500, an increase of £59,500 on last year. 'The Thomas Pink Gold Cup this year carries boosted prize money of £100,000, which will ensure it continues to enjoy its status as one of the top races of the whole National Hunt season.'
