Glasgow, Scotland: Royal Explorers Club President Lord Cornelius Acton held court yesterday on the REC George Square front steps to announce an exciting development in the horse racing world. The REC will put up sizable purses and organize an annual series of regular meetings to determine the world's finest racehorse. The sport to-date has been characterized by rag-tag meetings and match races held sporadically throughout the racing calendar leaving all to wonder and argue endlessly over who the top horse is each year. Lord Acton and the board have reached agreement with the backers of the Epsom Oaks and the St. Leger Stakes, which have been run orderly and admirably for nearly three decades now, to include them in the series along with four new meetings to be established in the year to come. The six meetings are to be dubbed the 'Explorers Cup Series' and will run from May to October culminating with the Scottish Grand National Meeting at the Ayr Raceway.
|
Month |
Meeting |
Course |
Distance |
Points |
Purse |
| May |
Ascot Gold Cup |
Ascot |
6 furlongs |
400 |
8,000 |
| May |
Explorers Sprint |
Wolverhampton |
4 furlongs |
400 |
8,000 |
| June |
The Epsom Oaks |
Epsom Downs |
1 mile, 4 furlongs |
400 |
8,000 |
| July |
Irish Derby |
Curragh |
1 mile |
600 |
10,000 |
| August |
The St. Leger Stakes |
Doncaster |
1 mile, 6 furlongs |
600 |
15,000 |
| October |
Scottish Grand National Meeting |
Ayr Raceway |
2 miles |
800 |
25,000 |
At season's end, the horse with the greatest number of points earned in the series will be declared the finest horse of the year and awarded the handsome Explorers Cup pictured here.
The Royal Explorers Club board will issue invitations for select horses to join the series each year. Horses that receive points for finishing in the top four at any of the meetings will be invited back for the following year along with a select few new entrants.
The REC board has selected the following English horses to compete in the inaugural 1807 series:
Eleanor 
Sorcerer 
Walton
Waxy 
Wellesley Arabian 
Whalebone
The following American horses have also been invited and are currently en route to England. The pair should reach Bristol by early March and be will be prepared to race in time for the Ascot Gold Cup in May:
Duroc 
Sir Archy
