Presumably, someone thought this would be a good idea and so it happened. Thats a bit like the Neds 280s where we still dont know what they cost, who attended or what the longer term benefits might be.

In Victoria, where plenty of evidence is available, breeding bonuses and Vicbred racing has had no positive effect at all. But possibly the biggest blue would be to put the current chronic shortage of starters under even more pressure.

Similar outcomes attended the multi-state experiments with distance racing incentives, which were based on the theory that if you pay more money you will get better stayers. That has not worked either.

In all of these cases the extra cash is diverted from normal prize money which would be better spread around 5th Grade provincial racing so as to benefit all (and help fill empty boxes - even at Wenty where five races tonight will jump with an empty box).

Discrimination never works. Subsidies are sometimes useful providing they have a sunset clause not otherwise. Bureaucrats often like them because they make more work and justify more staff to support the programs. Decent businessmen would have the opposite view.