Prizemoney in Victoria will be boosted by more than $16 million for the next racing season with a sum set aside to enhance the autumn carnival.
The extra $16.5 million will take the total amount available in Victoria for the 2015/16 season to $174.2 million, not including VOBIS bonuses, making a 21.3 percent increase on gross stakes since 2012.
There is $3 million set aside to enhance the autumn carnival and across the board increases for night racing with minimum country prizemoney rising from $20,000 to $25,000 in recognition of the additional costs to compete.
Racing Victoria general manager racing Greg Carpenter said the focus was on attracting owners and putting on races that attract wagering.
"We need to get people involved in ownership and then retain them,” Carpenter said.
"We have tried to aim the lion’s share of the new funding at the greatest number of participants.”
Under the new structure more than two-thirds of the prizemoney increases are aimed at country races with a 25 percent increase to $20,000 for all TAB races apart from 0-58 races. Non-TAB races have been increased to $10,000.
Prizemoney will increase across all maidens, which make up 33 percent of Victorian TAB races with country TAB maidens now worth a minimum $20,000, country premier maidens $23,000, country night maidens $25,000 and midweek metropolitan maidens $27,000.
"We believe the top end is well catered for and we wanted to adopt a grass roots approach and build from the bottom up,” Carpenter said.
"We want to drive people to run their maiden horses in maiden races. Everyone that owns a horse looks to win that first race.”
Saturday open handicaps will now be worth $90,000 and the additional ninth race has been increased 25 percent to $50,000.
Carpenter was at pains to stress the increased prizemoney was aimed at stimulating wagering further.
"This was not about looking at New South Wales and saying we have to pay more than them,” Carpenter said.
"It is about what is right for Victoria and matching prizemoney to support races that give us the best wagering outcome.”
Carpenter said the autumn carnival was being looked at and he expected an announcement on changes shortly.
"We feel there is a good opportunity in the autumn and we want to drive interstate and international participation,” Carpenter said.
"We have a challenge dealing with three metropolitan clubs and we have to sell the concept to them,
"Seeing how successful the spring racing is we are now looking to grow the autumn.”
The extra $16.5 million will take the total amount available in Victoria for the 2015/16 season to $174.2 million, not including VOBIS bonuses, making a 21.3 percent increase on gross stakes since 2012.
There is $3 million set aside to enhance the autumn carnival and across the board increases for night racing with minimum country prizemoney rising from $20,000 to $25,000 in recognition of the additional costs to compete.
Racing Victoria general manager racing Greg Carpenter said the focus was on attracting owners and putting on races that attract wagering.
"We need to get people involved in ownership and then retain them,” Carpenter said.
"We have tried to aim the lion’s share of the new funding at the greatest number of participants.”
Under the new structure more than two-thirds of the prizemoney increases are aimed at country races with a 25 percent increase to $20,000 for all TAB races apart from 0-58 races. Non-TAB races have been increased to $10,000.
Prizemoney will increase across all maidens, which make up 33 percent of Victorian TAB races with country TAB maidens now worth a minimum $20,000, country premier maidens $23,000, country night maidens $25,000 and midweek metropolitan maidens $27,000.
"We believe the top end is well catered for and we wanted to adopt a grass roots approach and build from the bottom up,” Carpenter said.
"We want to drive people to run their maiden horses in maiden races. Everyone that owns a horse looks to win that first race.”
Saturday open handicaps will now be worth $90,000 and the additional ninth race has been increased 25 percent to $50,000.
Carpenter was at pains to stress the increased prizemoney was aimed at stimulating wagering further.
"This was not about looking at New South Wales and saying we have to pay more than them,” Carpenter said.
"It is about what is right for Victoria and matching prizemoney to support races that give us the best wagering outcome.”
Carpenter said the autumn carnival was being looked at and he expected an announcement on changes shortly.
"We feel there is a good opportunity in the autumn and we want to drive interstate and international participation,” Carpenter said.
"We have a challenge dealing with three metropolitan clubs and we have to sell the concept to them,
"Seeing how successful the spring racing is we are now looking to grow the autumn.”