August 22, 2014
by Ross Stanley
The ears of country racing participants were certainly pricked last Monday when news of major upcoming prize money boosts was announced.
In general terms, an obstacle has been tackled.
From October 1, all non-TAB clubs are to have a basic $7,000 purse per race provided by Racing Queensland – a $1,000 rise for clubs such as Nanango and Gympie.
Owners, trainers and jockeys involved with candidates at Kumbia, Esk, Gayndah, Wondai, Eidsvold and Burrandowan – tracks that once had a minimum as low as $4,500 – will be significant benefactors.
The Queensland All Codes Racing Industry Board Chairman, Kevin Dixon, in an address to an industry briefing at Deagon this week, stated that prize money was being allocated “in a way that ensures each code and region benefits from the increases.”
“Overall prize money year on year will increase by 50 per cent for greyhounds, 20 per cent for thoroughbreds and 16 per cent for harness racing.” Mr Dixon said.
“These improvements were devised with a new allocation strategy, which determines prize money based on each code’s individual revenue. less the costs they incur.
“This means when one code is performing well, they will directly benefit from their success and not be impacted by other codes.”
To independent observers without geographical partisanship, the disclosed approach of placing the various TAB clubs into “prize money categories” according to turnover figures appears to be an equitable method.
With the numerals (1) and (2) indicating the pertinent Sky 1 or 2 service, the key groupings are as follows:
- Metropolitan Saturday fixtures ($65,000 base per race)
- Metro public holidays ($50,000)
- Metro midweeks ($20,000)
- Provincial Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Ipswich (1: $16,000; 2: $12,000)
- Toowoomba (1: $14,000; 2: $10,000)
- Rockhampton, Townsville (1: $13,000; 2: $10,000)
- All other Provincial meetings (e.g. Mackay, Kilcoy, Beaudesert, Emerald, Gatton, Mount Isa; (1: $12,000; 2: $10,000)
$7,500 is the mark for non-TAB events staged by TAB clubs.
By definition, non-TAB race clubs do not directly generate funds for the betting machinery’s coffers.
The fact that there is on-going support for these clubs across a widely decentralised state is a sign that Queensland’s racing leadership recognises the value of the various contributions made by the small, grass roots, largely voluntary organisations.
Hopefully the heralded jump in stakes will not be the only positive move for rural racing from the new Product Agreement.
In the past there have been special feature series such as Burnett To The Beach and the current Celebration-Sustain-Showcase offerings.
It will be interesting to see if there are other initiatives forthcoming that add further appetisers to the bread and butter menu.
For example, I’d suggest that another key issue that demands urgent attention is the lifting of administration funding for non-strategic clubs to a level that is on par with the strategic clubs.
The present financial discrimination is an unnecessary legacy of a previous era.
Full details of the prize money distributions for the state’s metropolitan, provincial and country meetings are available on Racing Queensland’s website.
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The Queensland-Bred Bonanza
Earlier this month, substantive alterations were published regarding the QTIS scheme that will be relevant in 2015.
Importantly, from the beginning of the next racing season, all two and three year-old races contested in Queensland will carry QTIS bonuses.
With the exception of black-type events, the QTIS-eligible juveniles will race for their entire careers without incurring starters’ fees, nomination and acceptance fees and no jockey costs.
There will be hefty increases in fillies and mares bonuses as well.
More details are provided on the Queensland Breeders website.
When the QTIS incentives and the prize money injections are combined, it is clear that the industry has bottomed and is now moving into an upward cycle.
The thoroughbred game will soon find a lot of vital nutrients in its feed box.
Look out for a brighter shine in the coat, a spring in the step and a gleam in the eye of those who have hung in there during the dark days,
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This Weekend
Gympie has a wonderful card set down for decision with the 18th renewal of the $20,000 Nolan Meats Muster Cup (1600m) on Saturday.
The program has produced immense local interest with a bustling, buoyant Marquee Alley sure to create an exciting atmosphere.
Not surprisingly, given their long association with the club, Nolans have a massive gathering to relish the running of the contest with such succulent “stakes”.
