Zone cash revealed

State split in five areas amid coronavirus woes

OFFICIALS believe they have the correct balance in the prizemoney schedule for the new zoned racing that starts in Queensland this week.

The state has been divided into five regions. The southeast, where most of the horses are trained, has been split into two divisions.

The move is designed to limit the spread of coronavirus as racing continues to operate under strict biosecurity conditions. As such, Racing Queensland has revised the prize money for the different zones. The central region’s Mackay will have the first meeting under the new regime tomorrow.

That will be followed by the Sunshine Coast meeting on Wednesday, Cairns on Thursday, Gold Coast on Friday, Eagle Farm on Saturday and Toowoomba on Sunday. RQ will allocate similar prize money to Gold Coast and Toowoomba-trained horses as the Eagle Farm and Caloundra-trained runners.

The Gold Coast meeting will have races worth $65,000, two at $50,000, two at $35,000 and two at $27,500, while QTIS bonuses will be paid on selected races. Eagle Farm will be the same, but with an additional $65,000 race programmed. Sunshine Coast has prize money ranging from $21,000 to $30,000, as does the Toowoomba meeting.

Cairns has eight races valued at $17,000 each.

For horses to be eligible, they have to be in their designated zone by midnight last night. An RQ spokesman said it was hoped the new schedule would keep money coming into the industry.

■ GOLD Coast trainer Scott Morrisey pulled off a big upset at Doomben on Saturday.

With jockey Ryan Wiggins in the saddle, Morrisey’s Parko defied his $31 odds to claim a win in the $75,000 Colts, Geldings & Entires Benchmark 78 Handicap (1350m).

Parko, named after former AFL coach David Parkin, held off Mr Bellagio from the Edmonds stable.