Ballarat Turf Club chief executive Lachlan McKenzie confirmed a 6.3 percent increase on $1,040,000 last year.

A VOBIS Gold feature for three-year-olds has received the biggest stakemoney boost on the 10-race card to be run on Saturday, November 25.

This will be carry $120,000 – a $20,000 increase.

McKenzie said the minimum stake for the day had also been increased from $50,000 to $60,000, which impacted on four events.

The Ballarat Cup will again be worth $300,000.

He said only six years ago the Cup meeting carried $465,000 in prizemoney, with the Cup purse being $150,000.

McKenzie said this year’s increase was a further vote of confidence by the racing industry in the standalone Saturday metropolitan class fixture, which continued to grow in stature.

He said this growth was reflected in betting turnover on the meeting being up 14 percent last year.

SOUTH Australian trainer Nick Smart completed his move to Ballarat on Wednesday.

Smart has arrived with 15 horses.

He will initially share a stabling complex with Symon Wilde, who set up a Ballarat satellite arm of his Warrnambool base earlier this year.

Smart announced his intention to relocate in June.

BALLARAT Turf Club will cater for horses preparing for its feature jumps meeting on Sunday, August 20, with trials six days before the event.

August 14 jumps trials have been transferred from Cranbourne to Ballarat.

They will be restricted to horses seeking qualification and/or those entered in the JJ Houlahan Hurdle, 3200m, or Grand National Steeplechase, 4500m, to be run in Ballarat.

STRIKE Action ($6.50) gave Ballarat trainer Julie Scott a strong finish to the season by taking out a benchmark64, 1400m, on the Pakenham synthetic on Sunday.

Mandy Shillito did the same with Franquin ($3.60 favourite) in a Geelong maiden on Friday.