Australia stakes its claim as the world’s premier racing investment market

This content is sponsored by and produced on behalf of Aushorse.

Australia’s thoroughbred industry is making a pitch to global investors, with Aushorse’s Investor’s Guide positioning Australia as the most lucrative and accessible racing jurisdiction in the world.

With prize money growth outpacing every major rival, bloodstock values rising, and international demand surging, the numbers set out in the 2026 edition of the Investor’s Guide tell a compelling story.

Australia staged 109 races worth $1 million or more in the 2025/26 season, more than any other jurisdiction, with the United States next best at 76. Average race prize money now sits at $54,296, more than double the UK’s $24,000.

One in every 40 horses in Australia earned more than $500,000 last season, while one in 116 cleared the $1 million mark.

Prize money growth has been relentless: up 86 per cent in the past decade, compared to just 16 per cent respectively in the US.

In another major milestone, bonus schemes surpassed $100 million for the first time, with $34 million from Magic Millions and Inglis race series, plus $70 million from state breeding programs.

Racing in Australia is woven into the national fabric. With nearly 140,000 registered owners, one in every 201 Australians has a stake in a racehorse.

This broad ownership base fuels wagering, with Australians betting more per capita on racing than any other nation.

That cycle – wagering driving prizemoney, prizemoney attracting owners – has created a successful model.

While prize money headlines grab attention, bloodstock investment is equally compelling.

Stallions, broodmares and yearlings have all surged in value over the past decade, with the average price of stakes-winning fillies and mares at breeding stock sales having soared an astonishing 91 per cent in that time.

Australia’s breeding program continues to produce champions. Fifteen of the world’s highest-rated sprinters in the past 20 years were Australian-bred, and local horses have won half of the King Charles III Stakes renewals they contested at Royal Ascot. Three of the four multiple Group 1 sprint winners are Australian-bred, including globe-trotting star Asfoora.  

The stamina of Australian-bred horses is also coming to the fore, with the past two winners of the Melbourne Cup, Knight’s Choice and Half Yours, carrying the (Aus) suffix.  

Global heavyweights are already invested. Coolmore, Godolphin, and Yulong have expanded their Australian operations, while syndicators provide fractional ownership opportunities for newcomers. Trainers regularly purchase yearlings for clients, ensuring multiple entry points for investors at every level.

With the numbers stacked in its favour, the 2026 Investor Guide confirms Australia is not just competing on the global stage — it is setting the pace.

This content is sponsored by and produced on behalf of Aushorse.