Victorian racing is set to receive a $16 million prize money boost with group and listed events set for significant bonuses.
While metropolitan clubs including The Valley and Melbourne Racing Club will receive significant boosts, country racing will also receive $4 million in extra funding.
Racing Victoria Chairman Brian Kruger said the latest prize money announcements are due to the fact racing continued during Victoria’s hard lockdowns in 2020.
“This additional investment is possible thanks to all within Victorian racing who have worked diligently to keep our sport safely going throughout the pandemic and it will most importantly help underpin 25,000 full-time equivalent jobs in our state,” he said in a RV statement.
“This increase is also a reward for the owners who have remained loyal to Victorian racing despite months of lockouts and restricted access that have been required to ensure that we could safely continue racing during an unprecedented period.
Country Racing CEO Scott Whiteman is thrilled with the recent prizemoney top-up for country racing.
“Any increase in prizemoney is certainly welcome,” he said on SEN Track’s Bensley.
“It helps people reinvest in the industry, it gives people confidence that they can go out and purchase and be involved in the ownership of horses.
“$25,000 is a very good start but obviously in a perfect world, I’d love to see that higher.
“It’s hard to complain, it is a fantastic outcome when you see some $16 million going into annual prizemoney.”
Jumps racing will also receive a boost of $730,000 from March next year, with the increased races to be announced at a later date.
