Racing Industry

The average prizemoney for an Australian horse race has surged past $50,000 for the first time, with a $1 million-plus race to be contested every four days on average across 2024.

A ‘once-in-a-century’ opportunity to inject nearly $5 billion of funds into the future of the racing industry proved irresistible to the Australian Turf Club, even though it means the closure of Rosehill racecourse after 150 years.

In five or so years, Rosehill Racecourse will be no more with this week’s announcement that the New South Wales government is buying the site for redevelopment.

The proposed closure and sell off of Rosehill racecourse has created plenty of queries and The Straight has gone through the key questions it has raised and, where possible, the key answers to those questions.

This week's 'strategy' meeting in Melbourne has not convinced participants that Racing Victoria will engage with their concerns.

Rosehill racecourse, the home of the Golden Slipper and more recently the Golden Eagle, will cease racing within five years after a shock announcement by the New South Wales government that it will acquire it from the Australian Turf Club (ATC) to build a suburb of 25,000 homes.

Deputy Chair Dr Saranne Cooke’s time on the Racing NSW board has been extended as Racing Minister David Harris confirmed that a search has begun for a permanent replacement for departing chairman Russell Balding.