MEANWHILE ... BACK IN NEW SOUTH WALES

By Graham Potter | Friday, October 19, 2018

As racing in Queensland heads for an all time low with stakeholders feeling they have no option but to revert to industrial action in an attempt to give the state government a wake-up call, things could not be more different back in New South Wales

Seven weeks ago, on September 1, the latest NSW prize-money increase kicked across the board raising minimum stake levels for metropolitan, provincial and country racing to new heights.

While the headline is really is a familiar story, it is down in the small-print that perhaps the most meaningful change came into play.

This was a part which wasn’t trumpeted as much as the overall $24 million boost in prizemoney which lifted the individual Saturday Metropolitan minimum race stakes to $125 000, city midweek meetings to $50 000 with provincial, country, Highway races and certain feature events also getting their share of the handout to the point that Racing NSW now distributes $260 million per season in prize-money and bonuses.

But, as mentioned, it is only when you dig deeper that the you find the real masterstroke for racing behind the latest windfall … one that, so importantly, looks after all participants on multi levels in a manner that goes some way to ensuring the good ship racing stays on an even keel.

Did you know …

The majority of the prizemoney increase is paid out to the connections of horses finishing in fourth to tenth placing. No, you weren’t hearing things … but let’s repeat it. The majority of the prizemoney increase is paid out to the connections of horses finishing in fourth to tenth placing.

The first obvious point is that prize money will now represent a more meaningful return to a wider spread of contestants. Score one for all owners, trainers and jockeys. Owners, in particular, are now in line for a better return on their investment. They might even but more horses.

But wait there is more.

Racing NSW now pays part of the increased prize-money due to the connections of horses finishing fourth to tenth directly to the trainer with the instruction that said amounts are to be credited to the owner’s training fees accounts, either as a pre-payment or a top up.

The ramifications of this are huge … in a positive sense.

How many trainers around the country over the years have suffered from serious cash flow on those occasions when some owners defaulted on their financial obligations.

This new arrangement, as least to some extent, improves any trainers cash flow situation and allows them to have a firmer grip on the viability of their business.

All around, the overall plan is as simple as it is effective and it is logical.

Another part of the plan’s design was that, if it leaves owners, trainers and jockeys better off that would either keep or attract more of these participants into the game and … with that added lure of prize money down to tenth place - maybe field sizes would increase.

Even better.

Sure, very few states can match Racing NSW’s financial clout but other states should not be allowed to hide behind that fact.

There are clearly aspects of the Racing NSW administration policies which could, and should, be copied … such as the payment down to tenth place and the part prize money distribution directly to trainer … which would in essence bring the same core benefit to stakeholders, albeit with a lower monetary value.

There is no mystery as to why Racing NSW is leading the pack.

The NSW government and Racing NSW are always on the front foot allowing Racing NSW’s innovative approach to prosper in many directions, such as bringing in races like The Everest which has brought a new, younger following into the game.

Above all, it looks after all of its participants as best it can.

No racing precinct is ever perfect, but all credit to Racing NSW, not only for what they have achieved, but … perhaps more to the point of this argument … for the precise, very thorough, well thought out manner in which that have targeted certain outcomes and set about achieving their objectives.

It is not always all about money.

Of course the state of the finances is important, but that positive, focussed outlook alone, irrespective of the starting point, is worth its weight in gold.

Surely, those in power in states who are trailing in despair, need to learn that.