Courtesy The West Australian website:

The WA Turf Club has changed the emphasis of Ascot's racing carnival to feature young horses, in a move aimed at revitalising its profile on the Australian racing calendar.

Racing manager Greg Carpenter said the carnival would provide a feast of champagne racing. The highly progressive administrator hopes to increase stakes to complement the new look.

Stakes rises and endorsement of the new plan will be discussed at the WATC committee meeting in two weeks, when budgets for the 2003-2004 season are finalised.

Carpenter's vision provides a platform for the State's top young horses to become stars of the multi-million dollar extravaganza.

By edging back the Group 1 Railway Stakes and Fruit 'N' Veg Stakes by a week - to November 29 and December 13, respectively - and leaving the WA Guineas on November 15, he provides a springboard for the best three-year-olds to grab potentially just under a $1 million in total prize money.

By programming the three-year-old features, the Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m) and T J Smith Trophy (1800m), on Railway Stakes Day, owners will have the option of racing their youngsters in their own age group or in the $500,000 Railway (1600m) which is open to all-age sprinters.

Special attention will be paid to sprint series, with stakes increases proposed for the finale, the Channel Nine Stakes (1200m) on December 20.

Carpenter's plan lifts the Melbourne Cup day meeting to its former glory, with feature three-year-old sprinting events the Burgess Queen (1400m) and Fairetha Stakes (1400m) added to a bumper card for the first Tuesday in November.

Fillies and mares are well catered for, with the Jungle Dawn, Jungle Mist, Hahn Premium and La Trice series continued.

The $350,000 Perth Cup (3200m) is the club's most popular meeting and has become new year's party time for the under-35s. It is locked in on January 1.

Ascot will celebrate its traditional opening on the Caulfield Cup day meeting on October 18.

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