Racing NSW will undoubtedly be lauded this week by major media outlets following more increases to country prize money.
On Tuesday, the state’s governing body announced that The Big Dance, to be run at Royal Randwick on November 7, 2023, will now carry prizemoney of $3 million, an increase of $1 million.
Additionally, the Country Championships and Provincial-Midway Championships will be staged for the tenth time in 2024, and prizemoney for those Finals will be increased to $1 million from $500,000.
This announcement follows the introduction of The Big Dance concept and an additional $30 million in prizemoney, which came into play in 2022.
Now, on paper, country racing in NSW has never been stronger.
Never has more prize money been on offer, and with Country Boosted races on each program, NSW country trainers and owners can go to the races more confident than ever that they can earn an honest dollar.
Add to that the $2 million Kosciuszko and weekly Highway Handicaps, and there is an opportunity to race for life-changing prize money.
Still, it gets to a point where you have to ask, will an extra $1 million in prize money make that much of a difference to The Big Dance? Will an additional $500,000 make the Country Championships a more appealing target for trainers?
It’s a commonly held opinion that The Big Dance does little to help country participants and only hinders their chances of ever winning a major Country Cup.
It’s open slather for any of the 29 Country Cup qualifiers, and yes, some excellent country horses have qualified for the Big Dance and Little Dance, but it can’t be argued; we are seeing more and more city and horses targeting Country Cups and other races on these programs, which takes opportunities away from country trainers and owners.
The main positive coming out of the Big Dance concept is the bigger crowds at these country meetings and increased turnover, which, I will admit, has been well-received by club administrators.
However, extra prize money will not add to that. If the good trainers and horses are there for The Big Dance qualifiers, which they will be whether the final is worth $2 million or $3 million, the crowds will support the meeting, and punters will get behind programs.
If any additional prize money is to be added to The Big Dance concept, it should be to create a country-only final, a third tier of sorts that caters for country owners and trainers.
While it appears that there will be no reasoning with Racing NSW when it comes to The Big Dance – despite many industry participants voicing their concerns – there are other reasons that this $1 million increase in prize money for The Big Dance and $500,000 Country Championships increase stinks of a quick fix to make participants happy.
As an industry, we’re coming off the back end of a challenging period in our history.
Following a dreadful and sustained drought, the COVID pandemic placed unparalleled pressure on the industry, in particular country clubs and once-a-year race meetings.
Then half the state dealt with severe flooding in late 2022, impacting numerous tracks; some race clubs are still dealing with those impacts.
The issue is that prize money increases don’t help country participants, especially if we don’t have country tracks to race on, while at the tracks that can consistently race, we are then forced to fend off raids from City and Provincial stables.
Post-COVID and recent flooding events, we have seen many country tracks unable to race.
With the promises of ‘infrastructure upgrades’ to the tune of almost $200 million since 2021, which includes the 2021-22 NSW State budget $67 million commitment and the 2022 Racing NSW $125 million commitment, you have to wonder why we are seeing so many meetings falling over – and not all because of the rain and wet tracks.
In the last six weeks, once and twice-a-year meetings at Warialda, Hillston, Tocumwal, Holbrook, Cootamundra, Quambone, and Brewarrina did not go ahead.
In the last two years, many meetings have failed to proceed, with clubs and participants the biggest loses.
Yet, as part of the 2021-2022 NSW State Budget, the NSW Government announced the ‘Racing for the Regions’ program, a $65 million commitment towards racing infrastructure across nine thoroughbred racecourses in regional NSW.
The only thing is, they have since allocated $59 million of approved projects, with $17.4 million going to provincial clubs, including two projects at Gosford and one at Hawkesbury, along with another $11.5 million for Cessnock’s training facility, and $20 million to Scone for a poly training track and ‘associated infrastructure’ upgrades.
Of the remaining approved country projects as per the NSW Government’s latest announcement, another $10.932 million has seen, or will see stable, race day amenities and ‘associated infrastructure’ upgrades at Tamworth, Muswellbrook, Sapphire Coast (x 2), and Albury.
Not all projects have been completed, and little was promised to ‘regional’ clubs.
Still, there is hope, with Racing NSW last year announcing a ‘record investment’ via a $125 million infrastructure project fund, which was to be delivered by Racing NSW.
The $125 million is for the construction of stables, new training tracks, works to the course proper of various clubs, customer facilities, race day amenities and jockeys’ rooms.
As per Racing NSW’s media release, the allocation of these funds will be tailored by Racing NSW, which will work with state-wide clubs and participants.
But has a lot been paid out to clubs for projects from this $125 million? There is so much publicity regarding prize money increases, but no press releases or media announcements since August of 2022 regarding the improvement of NSW race tracks.
Following some research, it can be noted that some clubs have applied for funding, with Bathurst requesting $1.5 million to ‘conform better with Racing NSW guidelines and requirements’ as per an article published by the Western Advocate on April 21.
There is the $6 million Warwick Farm racecourse rebuild project. Still, it has been put on hold until early next year even though Liverpool City Council is close to finally granting development application approval, as reported by The Advertiser only just last week.
Per the Moree Champion earlier this year, Moree Race Club will receive a $229,101 State Government grant for amenities block, but it won’t come from the Racing NSW fund.
NSW Country and Picnic Racing did reach out to Racing NSW and the NSW Government regarding infrastructure spending.
Racing NSW Chief Executive Mr Peter V’landys AM confirmed that the state’s governing body, with the help of the NSW Government grants procured by Racing NSW, is investing $192 million in projects.
“We have commissioned a project management team to implement the works program,” Mr V’landys said.
“Various of the club projects have been completed, including Poly tracks at Gosford, Kembla, Warwick Farm, Newcastle, (a) sand track at Tamworth, (and) various works at Forster.
“There are a number of other projects already completed. Further, a number of projects are either at DA (Development Approval) or plans being finalised for a DA to be lodged,” V’landys added.
“In particular, the Scone Stable and poly track project has been approved and is at tender stage.”
Mr V’landys confirmed that none of the Racing NSW investment of $125 million, as part of the $192 million total, has or will be used to procure farm properties.
Still, $125 million is a lot of money, so where is it all going?
Mr V’landys has no doubt touched on some projects and the fact that there is a project management team, but most projects he mentioned have been in the pipeline since the NSW Government’s ‘Racing for the Regions’ announcement in 2021.
This writer believes there needs to be an air of transparency, so participants know exactly where this money is being spent.
We all want to know what Racing NSW’s plans are, and whether it includes regional tracks, and the sustainability of those once-a-year race meetings or small race clubs intrinsic to small rural communities.
Going back to the beginning of this article, a $1.5 million increase in feature country races is good on paper, and it will no doubt result in some front and back page stories.
Still, it does little to help those grassroots participants, with the benefits not trickling down to the smaller clubs and country trainers and owners.
What would be helpful is a full catalogue of projects that have been applied for by clubs, including what projects have been approved and denied.
We need full transparency and communication with stakeholders surrounding this ‘record investment’ on infrastructure to ensure the money is being delivered to those race clubs needing essential upgrades.
Only then will we, as an industry, see what is being done to ensure the future of racing in this state.
