Leading provincial trainer Kris Lees has hailed a big jump in prize money for races outside the Sydney metropolitan area as a win for owners.
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Racing NSW announced on Tuesday that minimum prize money for provincial races would rise from $22,000 to $30,000 from October 1. Country TAB races would be worth a minimum of $20,000, up from $15,000, and the value of Sky 2 country races would rise from $8000 to $10,000.
Newcastle-based group 1 trainer Lees said the majority of horses in his stable were on the provincial and country circuit.
"To think that we're racing for that type of prize money in provincial and country areas is wonderful news," Lees said. He said it would give his diverse ownership base a chance to cover training fees by winning country races.
"It's a really great influx for provincial and country racing," he said.
The prize money increases also include a fortnightly $40,000 provincial maiden race at selected meetings and 30 $40,000 country restricted maiden races.
The 12 qualifying heats in the Country and Provincial Championships series will now be worth $150,000.
This year’s country series included heats in Goulburn, Scone, Wagga Wagga, Taree, Grafton, Wellington, Dubbo and Muswellbrook before the final at Randwick.
The Provincial Championship heats were at Wyong, Kembla Grange, Newcastle, Gosford and Hawkesbury.
The changes are part of a statewide increase in prizemoney. Saturday races in Sydney will be worth a minimum of $100,000, group 2 races $200,000, group 3s $150,000 and listed races $125,000. Newcastle Jockey Club chief executive Matt Benson said the prizemoney hike was further proof that “NSW is the centre of racing in Australia now for owner returns”.
“Everything we do is about attracting more horses and more owners to the sport, and obviously prizemoney is a key part of keeping people involved,” he said.
“The old rule of thumb used to be, in whatever environment you were racing your horse, you would have to win two races a year to keep paying the bills.
“The bottom line in metropolitan Sydney now is that it’s probably less than one, and that would now bubble down through all the levels.
“It might not be quite down to one in the provincials, but you’re getting a much better go at not only washing your face with your investment in a horse, but of potentially making a quid.”
Premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller said that after a decade of tough times for NSW racing, it was now the best jurisdiction in the world.
"People don't realise that $100,000 prizemoney, you get $2000 back to 10th place," he said. "There's just as many horses that run 10th as there are win races." Annual total prizemoney in NSW will top $204 million, up from $118.9 million in 2012.
