NZTR to examine subsidies used to lure Australian horses

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing will review the subsidies it pays for Australian-trained horses to travel and compete in the country’s major feature races after some misgivings were raised by local trainers.

Connections of Group 1 winner Kingswood, who won the Group 1 Zabeel Classic, received a $10,000 subsidy for taking the horse to New Zealand.

Michael Guerin reported in the New Zealand Herald that NZTR will review the arrangement after concerns were raised that Kingwood’s connections will still get the $10,000 despite earning $287,500 for his victory at Ellerslie.  

NZTR general manager of racing Mitch Lamb says the subsidies will be reviewed ahead of next season.

“We just wanted a clean, easy-to-explain incentive to get Australian horses here for the major meetings,” Lamb told the newspaper.

“We believe having those horses here drives turnover and interest, not only locally but enormously so in Australia, and the figures we have seen so far back that up.

“We get a slice of that Australian turnover but this is part of a longer-term plan to encourage more Australian participation in the major carnivals here.”

Kingswood’s trainer Gavin Bedggood took to social media to defend the policy.

“Would this be a thing had he not won?” he said on X.

“Myself & my owner have rented accom & a car for the 12 weeks of Kingswood’s time in NZ for my staff. I’ve personally flew my staff in and out on a weekly basis out of my own pocket, 12 weeks of meals. 10k wouldn’t even scratch the surface.”