Racing NSW increases country cup prize money
IN a major boost to country racing in the state, Racing NSW announced on Wednesday that they will significantly increase prize money for a number of key country feature races.
Each of the five identified races will receive an additional $150,000 on their feature events of the day, those five events are:
October 6, 2017 – Port MacQuarie Cup
November 26, 2017 – Goulburn Cup
April 8, 2018 – Wellington Boot
April, 29 2018 – Tamworth Cup
May 3, 2018 – Wagga Town Plate
More prize money increases into NSW racing!! https://t.co/3ihOxkhi3i
— Amanda (@showaheart) August 9, 2017
Racing NSW Chief Executive Peter V’landys said the increase in prizemoney will assist not only help the sport of thoroughbred racing outside metropolitan areas, but will also assist in creating a greater profile for the towns themselves.
“These are well-established country feature races,” V’landys said.
“The increase will provide impetus for the clubs to further develop these race meetings and build their recognition not only within racing, but to their local community.”
The increase in funding for these key events complements the changes made to the Country Showcase race meetings that was announced earlier in the year.
Racing NSW expanded the schedule of Country Showcase race meetings from 40 to 45 in 2017/18, upgrading five key country carnival race days to a minimum of $30,000 in prizemoney per race.
Almost all of these meetings will be a race carrying prizemoney of $40,000 for horses who have not won a race and that are domiciled and trained in the NSW country area.
V’landys said it was important to help increase the incentives for country trainers to stay in the game, and to keep them invested in the area.
“The Showcase meetings continue to provide a tremendous opportunity for country participants to race for great prizemoney on a regular basis.” he said.
Racing Queensland needs a Peter V'landys to come up with new ways of injecting money into Queensland Racing & to get things done on time
— john mas (@Whiteox20Mass) July 25, 2017
Racing NSW has also increase the number of country TAB meetings to be conducted for 2017/18 from 645 to 664.
The Racing NSW increases in financial incentives for the Country Championships Final and the Country Cup events will total $2 million to country prizemoney.