NEW QTIS ARRANGEMENT KICKS OFF ON SATURDAY

By Graham Potter | Thursday, July 30, 2015

The Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland Association (TBQA) has trumpeted the Saturday’s start of the new racing season as being an historic occasion and ‘the rebirth of the Queensland racing industry.’

As with most press releases, regardless of the source, the buoyancy of the ‘over the top’ approach is as suspect in the grand scheme of things as it is easy to identify, but that doesn’t mean details of the ‘highly anticipated changes to the Queensland Thoroughbred Industry Incentive Scheme (QTIS)’ is not worthy of comment.

In fact, with the new QTIS arrangement coming into force on Saturday it certainly a most appropriate time to place on record the exact details, for the better understanding of all, of what is clearly a significant incentive scheme which comes into force on August 1.

From Saturday:

* One hundred percent of 2YO and 3YO races conducted within Qld will carry QTIS bonuses. Additional QTIS races will be programmed across the State. QTIS will be expanded to include 4YO's in selected races right across the state.

* Breeders will receive an equivalent of 6 per cent of the winner's QTIS bonus for all QTIS races in Queensland for progeny of Queensland based stallions. This is applicable to 2YO, 3YO and 4YO racing and will include the progeny of every Queensland based stallion for the crops conceived in the breeding seasons of 2010 through to 2014 (inclusive). This Bonus is for nominated Queensland stallions from 2015 onwards.

* Free racing for all QTIS registered horses, beginning with the crop of 2YO's in the 2015/16 season, following this group through their careers, and applicable for all future QTIS racing crops. Free racing can be interpreted as meaning no starters fees, no nomination or acceptance fees and no jockey fees regardless of the finishing position of that runner. The only exclusion to this would be for black type races.

• A special fillies and mares bonus will be introduced that provides a 50% increase to all standard QTIS bonuses. This will be applicable on all QTIS races and will begin with the crop of 2YO fillies from August 1, 2015. As they turn 3YO in 2016, and 4YO in 2017, this extra 50% bonus will be expanded to follow this crop through those age groups and is applicable to all future crops. For example, this means that in the racing year of 2017/2018, any QTIS registered filly or mare winning a QTIS 2YO, 3YO or 4YO race will be eligible for the special 50% bonus - making owning and racing a filly a very attractive prospect.

QTIS promotes and supports the breeding side of the industry in Queensland and the scheme thus gives TBOA the means to entice owners, trainers and breeders alike, who might otherwise baulk at the opportunity, to become involved in the local industry.

Whether you agree with the principle of QTIS or not, as is the usual case with racing there are always some dissenting voices, the points detailed above, will be in play from Saturday, August 1.