Australia’s leading trainer of the past decade, Chris Waller, believes the prize money in his adopted country has reached a tipping point and it is time to take a step back. Bren O’Brien examines how ever-increasing returns to owners led to Australian racing’s inflationary bubble.
As Chris Waller surged past $50 million in prize money for the second straight season recently, the man himself took time to reflect on the current challenges facing Australian racing.
Responding to the outcome of the divisive Rosehill debate in his weekly CWR preview video, one of the few forums where Waller has been open and honest about his concerns over the past 12 months, the champion trainer advocated for a minor reset.
“Maybe we have to look at prize money and just have a little bit of a cut, put some money into facilities, infrastructure and plan for the future, not just beg all the time,” he said.
There has arguably not been a racing participant in the country who has done as well out of the record prize money levels of the past decade as Waller. His horses have compiled over $420 million in earnings since 2014/15, of which he is entitled to 10 per cent.
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