LARRY'S VIEW - CALL FOR PRIZE-MONEY INCREASE SHOULD BE SEEN IN THE CORRECT CONTEXT

By Larry Cassidy | Friday, March 30, 2012

Larry Cassidy currently has forty-two Group 1 successes behind his name. He is a multiple Premiership winning jockey having taken out three titles in Sydney and one in Brisbane. Larry’s View, the personal blog of this top class rider will appear on horseracingonly.com.au every Friday, workload permitting.

The time is ripe for change in racing in Queensland. A good shake-up is what has been needed and hopefully it is now going to get that.

You hear a lot about the prize-money situation and, now that we’ve got change, I hope something can be done to improve the prize-money level … especially mid-week prize-money. That is where Brisbane is really lagging. They are light years behind. Mid-week … it is just ridiculous racing for $13000. They should be racing for $20 000.

The bonanza of funds that the favourable High Court ruling regarding Race Fields Legislation will bring to New South Wales is certainly a boost for that state, and congratulations to them for fighting their case, but it will merely widen the gap between New South Wales and Queensland.

A good percentage of that money will go into prize-money and, at the end of the day, that is a vital factor as to why owners race and where they race their horses.

Plenty of trainers will be weighing up their options, and the jockeys have been talking. If there is a mid-week country meeting across the border in New South Wales, you’ll find jockeys who would normally ride in Brisbane will be looking to go there en-masse.

Of course it is a numbers game. There are only enough runners at any particular meeting to accommodate a certain number of riders and those riders looking to head down south might have to work hard to secure rides, but I can assure you the intention will be there as jockeys broaden their focus to include the opportunities that are presented across the border.

We’ll probably be getting a $200 riding fee and we’ll possibly be racing for twice as much as a mid-week in Brisbane … so why wouldn’t you?

As a professional you have got to make these sort of decisions.

And remember, this will not just be the jockey’s mindset. It will be that of trainers as well.

Whatever the drain of talent down south, Queensland can ill afford it.

So the call for prize-money increases should be seen in the correct context.

It is not for the rich to get richer, as some, misguidedly, are happy to make out. It is not a money making scheme for those who will benefit. Hard work will still be the order of the day and income will have to be earned.

The call, in essence, is for decisions to be made with regard to prize-money which will ensure the present viability and future growth of the industry. That can only be achieved by making sure that participants and stake-holders have sufficient incentives to keep their passion and motivation in place.

That’s what an acceptable level of prize-money will do. That is why it is so important the racing in Queensland finds a way to address the problem … and, given the probably events that will unfold in New South Wales, they will need to do it soon.

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Why do riders keep on riding and tempting fate late in their careers? This was a question I’ve been asked in the light of the serious, possibly career-ending injury suffered by Darren Beadman in Hong Kong.

Why do riders keep on riding? The answer is almost self-explanatory in the question itself. Put quite simply, it is what we do.

Look, Darren was riding brilliantly. He was still at the top of his game in one of the most demanding riding scenarios in the world.

Darren has been one of the best jockeys going around for a long time. You can’t ask, why does he keep riding and then something like that happens! It was a freak accident and, like most accidents, it could have happened to anybody.

The risk to being a race-rider has always been there from day one. We understand the possible consequences but are not intimidated by them. You
simply cannot be if you are going to produce your best in the saddle.

I think that most jockeys would know if they can keep riding competitively.

Providing you body is up to it, providing your weight is good enough and providing you have the motivation and the will to go out there and win, why shouldn’t you keep riding?

Like I said, it’s what we do!

Till next week,
Larry

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