England: All-Weather Championships series scheduled for winter tracks

Purses on the wintertime all-weather circuit in England will be increased by $3.1 million this winter, culminating in a day of stakes for six divisions on Polytrack at Lingfield Park near London in April.

The All-Weather Championships was announced on Wednesday by Arena Racing Company, which operates 15 tracks in the country, including the all-weather venues at Lingfield Park, Southwell, and Wolverhampton.

The series begins on Oct. 26 and concludes with six stakes on April 18, 2014, Good Friday. There will be five stakes on April 18 worth $238,500 for 3-year-olds over seven furlongs, fillies and mares over seven furlongs, a sprint over six furlongs, a one-mile race, and a marathon over two miles. The richest race of the day will be a middle distance stakes over 1 3/8 miles worth approximately $318,000.

Horses will earn points toward berths in the All-Weather Championship based on finishing positions in at least three races on the all-weather surfaces at Lingfield Park, Kempton Park, Southwell, and Wolverhampton, beginning later this month. Some stakes during the winter will feature Win and You’re In status toward the All-Weather Championship day.

The series is partially sponsored by four bookmaking companies.

The four all-weather tracks in Britain are wintertime circuit of their own, offering racing at one or two venues on synthetic tracks nearly every day when some steeplechase programs are lost to poor weather.