Country winners score extra slice of money pie
‘‘ EVERYONE WOULD ALWAYS LIKE MORE BUT $550,000 IS WHAT WE HAD TO WORK WITH. GRAHAM REWALD
Photo: Glenda Riley
RACING: Non-TAB race winners are set to pick up a larger pay cheque from this Saturday following the latest round of prize-money increases for Queensland country thoroughbred racing.
Racing Queensland this week announced $550,000 in prize money increases for nonTAB racing as part of the state government’s $18 million allocation for thoroughbred prize money.
Prize money will rise to $7450 per race with the payment for first place lifting from $4550 to $5000.
The decision to funnel the additional funding into first prize money came after consultation with the Country Racing Advisory Panel.
Eastern Downs Country Racing Association chairman and panel member Graham Rewald said the decision to boost winning prize money came after a number of other options were debated.
“We were expecting to receive $500,000 and finished up with a little more than we thought,” Rewald said yesterday.
“Everyone would always like more but $550,000 is what we had to work with.
“We were asked at our last quarterly Country Racing Advisory Panel meeting with Racing Queensland how we wanted the money spent and the panel agreed to increase first prize money to $5000 per race.
“We did consider other ways of distributing it.
“Taking away acceptance fees and paying rebates down to eighth were a couple of options
“Feature race funding was also considered for the 46 clubs who don’t already receive it.
“Another idea was to give every club $2500 funding for one race per meeting.
“But the panel voted to increase first prize money and I think most in the industry are happy with that decision.
“We’ve spoken to a lot of trainers and the majority agreed that is how they want the money spent.
“Free nominating was another possibility discussed.
“It is free to nominate in New South Wales until you accept while the cost is $70 in Queensland.
“Hopefully stakeholders will be happy enough.
“It’s the best we can do with what we’ve got to work with.
“The most important thing is we keep country racing as viable as we possibly can.
“It’s a big contributor to the Queensland thoroughbred industry and we need as much interest as possible continuing in country racing.
“We can’t afford to have less clubs and for now country racing is guaranteed certainty not to have any closed.”
Research commissioned by Racing Queensland showed more than 580,000 people attend race meetings in regional areas across Queensland perannum, with multiple social and economic benefits flowing back into local communities.
Rewald said new country racing initiatives like the introduction of the Battle of the Bush series and Country Cups Challenge, offering city level prize money to the final contenders, have been well received by country participants.
“They have been well accepted by country people and will only continue to grow in interest over time,” Rewald said.