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The three-year funding commitment, to begin in the 2025-26 financial year, will go towards expanding the annual hallmark event by getting a new race, to be known as The Golden Saddle, up and running.

The Golden Saddle will be a slot race attracting prize money of $1 million and being run over 1100 metres on the same Saturday as the $150,000 Kalgoorlie Cup. It will be another highlight of the annual Kalgoorlie Race Round, which also features the $150,000 Hannans Handicap on the Wednesday before.

A slot race is a unique type of horse race where slot holders — usually owners, syndicates, or corporate entities — purchase a “slot” in the race. Each slot gives its holder the right to nominate a horse, either owned by them or leased in partnership with another owner/ownership group, to run in the race. This structure adds a commercial element to the traditional race format, as slot holders can trade, lease, or partner with others for access to top-tier horses to represent their slot.

Event organisers, the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Racing Club (KBRC), will evaluate the impact of the first slot race in 2025 and use the findings to deliver the event in 2026 and 2027. The funding will also be utilised for event promotion and tourism development, with the aim of maximising both the short-term and long-term benefits to the Goldfields community.