HUNTER and North West Racing Association (HNWRA) may benefit by an increase in prizemoney from Racing NSW for “showcase” meetings in the new season.
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That was one of the highlights from yesterday’s HNWRA annual general meeting in Tamworth where long-serving officials Rod Watt, Bob Scherf and Ted Wilkinson were returned to their management positions.
Long-serving HNWRA chairman Watt was returned for another term along with secretary Scherf and treasurer Wilkinson.
“It’s been a good season,” Watt said.
“All the Cup meetings have been good and the clubs tell me all their crowds are up.
“Peter V’Landys (Racing NSW chief executive) has announced there will be more showcase meetings in the bush.
“They are meetings where there would be increased prizemoney subsidised by Racing NSW.
“The North Coast would get 12, we would get 10, the Central Racing Association eight and the South and South West 10.
“This could be great for our clubs although it does invite trainers from outside our area to come and plunder.
“This is a problem we are facing regardless of what happens.”
Watt said the showcase meetings would be run with “provincial style prizemoney”, that is eight races worth $22,000 per race as compared to the current $15,000 per race for country race meetings.
He also said a general rise in prizemoney from $15,000 a race to $20,000 was dependent on whether Racing NSW can convince the State Government to drop its take in TAB income.
“NSW Racing receives about 47 cents for each dollar bet on the TAB whereas in other states it is much higher,” Watt said.
“Victoria receives 79 cents, Queensland 72, Western Australia 65, South Australia 80 and Tasmania 90.
“V’Landys and NSW Racing have been negotiating with the State Government to increase our share of income so that we receive approximately what other states do.
“If this occurred it would increase by about $70 million the amount which the racing industry would receive in NSW.”
Last season the HNWRA distributed $12,677,305 at 118 race meetings.
8426 horses started in 818 TAB and non-TAB races in the HNWRA , an average of 10.3 per race.
“Bob (Scherf) did some figures and back in 2009 we distributed only $6.9 million in prizemoney,” Watt said.
“We’ve nearly doubled that in five years.”
Scone Race Club has extended nominations on seven of next Tuesday’s eight races on its TAB program.
That included extending nominations on the two feature benchmark 65 races over 1100m and 1300m
respectively.
The Ranvet Benchmark 65 Handicap (1100m) received just nine nominations, including an entry from the Bart and James Cummings stable (Yurrapendi), while the Widden Stud Benchmark 65 Handicap (1300m) attracted 10 nominations.
Scone Race Club received 92 nominations for the eight races and has extended the seven affected races until 11am today.