Half million dollar race for the Coast

Gosford Race Club will have $1.6 million prize money on offer for its biggest day.

Gosford will host a new $500,000 race on its inaugural stand-alone Saturday meeting which also features the $250,000 Gold Cup.

The Coast, a 1600m-race for three and four-year-olds, headlines the meeting on May 9.

The race on the NSW Central Coast joins the $1 million Gong at Kembla Grange and the $1 million Hunter at Newcastle to showcase local areas.

The program also features the $250,000 Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) and $150,000 Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m).

Sydney property company LuuxTM which has a major development opposite the course, has signed a three-year deal to sponsor the Cup.

Along with the features, the support program carries metropolitan prize money of $125,000 for five races an a $75,000 Highway Handicap for country-trained horses.

“We’re very appreciative of Racing NSW granting a stand-alone Saturday. It’s up to all of us to grab the opportunity with open arms and run with it,” Gosford chief executive Daniel Lacey said.