The Straight Daily News – Racing Victoria sustains prize money | How the Melbourne Cup got to $10m | NZ apprentice killed
Racing Victoria sustains prize money
A $10 million Melbourne Cup, a $6 million Cox Plate and an additional $7 million for maidens highlight Racing Victoria’s revamped prize money structure for the 2025/26 season.
Commercial challenges driven by an ongoing downturn in wagering has put significant pressure on Racing Victoria’s bottom line over the past two years, but while there was an expectation that would impact overall prize money levels, returns to owners have been sustained in the upcoming season.
Described by RV as a “strategic re-alignment”, the Victorian regulator has put more money into both the top and bottom end of the racing calendar, with the headline moves to increase its two best races, the Melbourne Cup and the Cox Plate to record-high levels, complemented by a commitment to $5000 per race boost to 1400 country maidens.
Racing Victoria boosts features and maidens amid ‘realignment’
Everyone gets a prize
The headlines surrounding the Melbourne Cup’s elevation to an eight-figure race are somewhat different to when it reached the seven-figure milestone in 1985, writes Bren O’Brien.
How the Melbourne Cup grew to be a $10 million race
NZ industry mourns apprentice Hailey
Apprentice jockey Ngakau Hailey has been killed in a dirtbike accident in Hamilton, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has confirmed.
Hailey, 18, had ridden 46 winners in his two years in the saddle, but tragedy struck on Wednesday when he was involved in the fatal incident.
“This is an incredibly sad time for New Zealand racing. Ngakau had a bright future ahead of him, and his passing is a heartbreaking loss,” NZTR’s head of licensing and registrations Matthew Williamson said.
“On behalf of everyone at NZTR and across the wider industry, we extend our deepest condolences to Ngakau’s family, friends, and the many people who knew and rode alongside him. We will ensure support is available to those who need it.”
Support is being offered to fellow riders and other industry participants through NZTR’s OnTrack support services.
Hailey had been booked to ride the Team Rogerson-trained Gone Fission at Cambridge on Thursday.
Taxes and triple threats
The tide of gambling taxes is rising globally, with British racing facing an existential triple threat while bettors in the United States are being targeted. Australia knows the script well, but what does it mean for the future of racing? Bren O’Brien investigates.
Global gambling’s new certainty and its impact on world racing
NZ sprint star aims up for summer
Group 1-winning New Zealand sprinter Crocetti has returned to Danny Walker and Arron Tata’s Byerley Park stable to be prepared for some lofty summer targets.
The four-year-old son of Zacinto was a standout in his three-year-old season, winning six of his seven starts, including the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), and was runner-up behind Bonny Lass in the Group1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m).
The Daniel Nakhle-bred and raced chestnut picked up where he left off, winning the Kerikeri Cup (1100m) first-up this season before placing in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1200m) and winning the Group 1 Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie on Karaka Millions night.
That triumph earned him Trackside NZ and Perth Racing’s slot in the $5 million The Quokka (1200m), however, he tailed the field home in the Perth feature and has since enjoyed a well-earned spell.
Walker is delighted with the way Crocetti has returned to his South Auckland barn and is looking forward to preparing him for a potentially lucrative summer campaign.
“He came back into work on the weekend and he is looking really well,” Walker said. “He had a good spell and he is looking really good, he is quite happy and fresh.
“There are not a lot of weight-for-age races, and we will miss the early ones, but we will play it by ear and see how he comes up. He looks amazing.”
Welfare forum, AI bolsters Equate seminar
The second annual Equate innovation seminar, organised by thoroughbred industry entrepreneur Tom Seymour, has been boosted by an additional two forums.
This year’s Equate seminar, to be staged at Flemington racecourse on July 24, will feature So Bloodstock’s Alex So speaking about the use of cutting-edge AI technology in a joint project with Hong Kong University.
With a focus on expanding international access to high-quality horses, reducing risk for remote buyers and enhancing the customer journey through immersive technology, Seymour says So and HK University’s joint venture provides a glimpse into the future of equine commerce.
An equine welfare forum, hosted by Nathan Skrivanic, will also be held during the one-day Equate event.
“This isn’t another panel discussion, it’s a no-holds-barred conversation about the welfare realities in our industry – what’s working, what’s not, and how new technologies can help us raise the baseline and bridge gaps,” Seymour says.
Straight Talk Podcast – Changes at the ATC, a $10m Melbourne Cup, a foal registration dispute and an interview with Stuart Boman
Caesar’s moment still to come
Peter Snowden believes two-year-old Caesar will measure up in better races, but it’s likely the trainer will resist the temptation to raise the bar too quickly with the talented Capitalist colt.
The juvenile, wearing the same green James Harron Bloodstock colours sported by his Golden Slipper-winning sire, defeated older horses in an 1100m Gosford maiden on Thursday under jockey Jason Collett.
“He’s got so much to learn. You can see how raw he was then. He didn’t work it out until he had 50m to go, but he’s got massive ability,” Snowden told Sky Racing.
“If I took him to Sydney for his first time, he’d probably come undone in town.
“Once he concentrated, he picked up five lengths. He’s got talent, but he’s just got to put it all together. No doubt he’ll keep improving, but probably (in his) next preparation. He’s a nice horse and I like him a lot.”
The latest of 15 two-year-old winners for the Newgate Farm-based Capitalist this season, the Bob Hannon-bred Caesar is an $800,000 James Harron colts partnership-purchased half-brother to three-time stakes-winning two-year-old Shaquero.
Mulcaster and Waller on board at Tatts
A lightly raced three-year-old maiden with form in Ireland will join the Chris Waller stable later this year.
The premier Sydney trainer and his long-time agent Guy Mulcaster, a regular at horses in training sales in Europe, bought Invincible Spirit gelding Standard Deviation for 90,000 guineas (A$196,191) on day two of the Tattersalls July Sale in the UK.
Standard Deviation, who was trained by Paddy Twomey, finished a last-start second at Naas on June 25 over a mile.
The top-priced lot on day two was Kingman filly Orchid Bouquet, a 550,000 sister to the late Group 2-winning Coolmore sire Calyx and the Listed winner Coppice.
She was bought by Badgers Bloodstock’s Grant Pritchard-Gordon from the Juddmonte draft. Pritchard-Gordon suggested the filly, who has battled shin soreness, may be sent back into training but the intention is to breed with her.
Leading Australian sires by runners to winners
(More than 30 winners)
Source: arion.co.nz
