The $3.2 million boost in prizemoney levels will be shared across the States race meetings with the majority going to regional NSW participants, he said.

All winners at regional NSWs provincial clubs will now receive $1500, a more than 76% increase from the current $850.

In addition, the feature Cup events at Wagga, Bathurst, Grafton, Goulburn and Dubbo tracks will now be worth a record $25,000 (up from $10,000).

These are significant announcements that will greatly benefit all participants in the NSW greyhound industry, with the increased prizemoney to come into effect from July 1 this year, Mr Mestrov said.

He said the prizemoney to be paid across NSW in the next financial year (2019-2020) would be $28 million, up from $24.8 million, and combined with the recently increased travel subsidies paid to all participants would boost the total funds distributed to $33 million over the coming 12 months.

Not only does the new prizemoney model greatly assist a sustainable future for regional NSW participants, but we are also lifting prizemoney at Wentworth Parks Saturday night meetings to a minimum $5000 first prize for the first time in the industrys history, Mr Mestrov said.

These very healthy new prizemoney levels are part of implementing the GRNSW Strategic Plan, which was released last October, and is built upon three pillars - Responsible, Competitive, Sustainable.

Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, Kevin Anderson said the increase in prize money is just one way of restoring confidence in the industry as they experience a suite of reforms.

We want to see a strong and vibrant Greyhound industry, which is why we are working closely with GRNSW, breeders, owners and trainers to implement ongoing reforms, not just to see the industry survive but to see it thrive.

The outlook for racing in NSW is bright, and we are well positioned to take full advantage of the opportunities before us.

Mr Mestrov said the increased prizemoney was fully funded by GRNSW and had been aimed at ensuring a vibrant and sustainable industry at grassroots regions within NSW.

GRNSW expects the boost from $850 to $1500 in first prizemoney at provincial TAB meetings will be widely welcomed by the participants in this State, he said.

We are also delighted to announce big increases in funding for the feature Cup events at Wagga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Goulburn, Grafton as well as the Chief Havoc Cup at Gunnedah, which will be increased from $5000 to $15000 to the winner.

These are very important races on the calendar and shine a light on the clubs and towns that are part of the backbone of our greyhound industry in NSW.

Non-TAB country clubs will now also race for an increased minimum first prize of $300.

Mr Mestrov added: We are now engaging with breeders across NSW to determine the best options to provide more incentives for breeders, while also looking at more competitive prizemoney levels for distance racing and more racing programming options.

Further to prizemoney increases, GRNSW is also looking forward to making announcements about animal welfare initiatives and more commercial ventures in the near future, he said.

To see the new prizemoney table go ---> EXTERNAL LINK

1. Why is there no reward for going a further distance on the provincials? There used to be so just wonder what the thinking is behind the change. (I note that other states seem to try to encourage distance racing).

2. Why is Wednesday night metro still so low?

3. Didnt the draft grading policy want to grade Wednesday and Saturday night metropolitan the same? Is that feasible given the huge difference in prizemoney between the two?

4. I also remember the draft grading policy had 3 distances short, sprint and distance. In the prizemoney for metro there is only sprint and distance. Does that mean no more 280m races at Wenty at all or does it mean the 280m are getting the same as the sprints?

1. Exactly...now the short coursers get exactly as the other 2 bands.

2. Not so worried about Wednesday metro being lower as the rest of the prizemoney has got a boost

3. Yes, but they chose to give it to the short coursers on the TAB circuit

4. Not sure about that, the Table is confusing me as well, or does it mean there has been no prizemoney increase in short course in the metro table?

Not my preference, but if you have short coursers that can't run 400m, then NSW is their new home

From an Animal Welfare perspective it was proven in a study by Racing Qld that more major and catastrophic injuries occur in short course and 400m bend start racing than over 500m and beyond

Real good planning there GRNSW...I am sure GWIC will be watching the injury stats with great interest

Re #1

All states have had bonus prize money for "distance" racing for some time - including NSW. The implied reasoning was that it would encourage more/better stayers.

In practice, it has never done that. Obviously there is the odd exception but, overall, starters were made up of dogs which were not much good at shorter trips and still proved not great at the longer trip. Frequently, fields were short as well.

It was a me-too exercise, clearly without much or any research into why distance racers were scarce (which is still the case).

Separately, I am appalled that 300m racing is being supported at the 400/500 level. These changes could have offered an excellent opportunity to sponsor a better direction for the industry for Wenty/Provincial racing.

Bruce: I will try and explain why, quickly and with a little experience. Almost no one breeds stayers! Horses or dogs. Predominately the best prizemoney is over the 5oom trips. (Yes we all know that).
We produce roughly 10% of staying dogs bred to sprinters? Very few Stayers at stud in this country. (Distini Fireball, & Dashing Corsair the exceptions) Fernando Bale has thrown strength though his American dam line. Great for the breeding future in this country

However if we INCREASED breeding 2o%, we would again see a natural increase in stayers. No scientific breeding needed, just a natural increase in dog numbers. The strength will flow though.

Happy to see Provincial P/M rise, City NO! Non/Tab still DEPLORABLE.

EXTERNAL LINK

Re "Almost no one breeds stayers! Horses or dogs". This is dead right in both cases.

However, my point is that if you can bias it one way then you can also do the reverse - at least to some extent.

For either animal it has been a deliberate practice or policy, primarily driven by money - ie the opportunity to get an early return on your investment. So sprinting horse sires are popular in Oz but not so much in Europe or NZ. For dogs it is the search for fast beginners at all costs - from Head Honcho to Brett Lee to Go Wild Teddy and so on. That's logical but it has a cost.

It therefore follows that if the system financially encourages a higher staying capacity you will get stronger dogs. Exactly how is beyond my brain but just adding bonuses to (mostly) provincial races does not work. That's proven, so look for another method.

All this lies in the background of my negative comments about 300m racing. The more you satisfy that demand the less you will advance the breed.

I understand your point about a bigger population throwing up more stayers but the theory is suspect - that is, if you don't change the ingredients all you will get is a bigger cake, not a better one. The challenge is to change the recipe - bearing in mind that a good outcome will not only generate better stayers but also a bigger pool of solid 500m dogs.

Further, it has to be national effort as breeding by its nature is not a state-based activity.

A failure to go down that road will encourage the continuing decline in average distance run and the addition of more and more 300m races. Do we want that?

Exactly! Where has the PoCT, Race Field plus TAB distribution $ gone? A lot of the increased millions has gone on administration. At least $10 million p.a. extra has.

2014/2015 - $34 million and $12 million respectively

2015/2016 - $34.9 million and $18.6 million

2016/2017 - $35.3 million, $20 million and Tax Parity of $6.7 million

2018 we received PoCT money of about $20 million over 5 years, GWIC received a one-off payment of about $4 million plus $10 million over 5 years ($2 million x 5). Yet, GWIC is spending about $16 million p.a.

At GWIC, there is a shortfall of about $10 million p.a. ($16 minus $6) and GRNSW (the Industry / Us) has to pick up the bill. The bill might be bigger next year as the one-off payment won't be there.

The increase in p/m for the Industry is embarrassingly low compared to the increased cost of administering the business. As some might write, it is a step in the right direction.

1.How is it the same class of meeting when they have said it has changed from A2 to B grading?

2.Is NSW as an industry struggling? I note it will now have 10 city races a week compared to Victoria that has 24.

3.TAB distance dogs lost money for others to gain, presumably so that all B races aligned in prizemoney. I am very worried that there will be an announcement in 6 months that Wednesday night Wentworth Park is going to drop in prizemoney to align with the rest of the B meetings.

4.Wasnt the prizemoney so low on Wednesday because of the levy that Newson introduced? Is that still being paid? It would seem that it is given how low Wednesday night is, and the potential for it to go even lower at some point in the future given this press release, but then I dont remember hearing much about it in the last few years.

Country prizemoney in NSW went up around 20%. Top dollar now for a FFA winner is $400 bucks.

TAB prizemoney in NSW went up by more than 50%. Top dollar for a FFA winner is $1700 bucks.

Think about it. Nominations are short EVERYWHERE so basically it doen't matter where you nom your dogs for, as your guaranteed a start anywhere.....so who's going to support these country clubs that race for $400 bucks a win when you can get that for running 3rd on a TAB track.

Their goners as you can't paid the bills if you don't have a race meeting.

And what will happen to the prizemoney from those tracks once they close.....Well your receiving it now in the 3 million increases, just inadvance to make sure the coffins are shut...& shut tight.

We've all been hood-winked.

Thats been the plan since the backflip and limited breeding installed. I cant afford to travel two to four hours one way to get beat every week with slow dogs. Yet, the alternative is pathetic.

Where do the slow dogs go? They would love you to retire them.

So far breeding hasn't been limited by anybody, except by the participants themselves

I have never seen more slower dogs racing for good money than ever in the sport since I have been alive and interested in it, which is going on close to 50 years

Slow dogs dont win races therefore dont take home prize money 99% of the time. The carrot is there yet we cant get starters all of the time e.g. Maitland.

Its changing now, but slowly. However, pushing monies sideways and giving a modest increase when every other State is doing it too, is good but long overdue. Meanwhile, administration costs are ridiculously high.