$70m boost keeps community racing on track

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the government had listened to feedback from country racing stakeholders and industry participants in formulating the new funding package.

“As country racegoers enjoy this week’s Melbourne Cup, I can't think of a better time to support the Queensland country racing industry,” the Premier said.

“This unprecedented $70 million country racing package will deliver increased certainty for more than 100 non-TAB racing clubs and the industry’s 16,700 participants in regional Queensland. It’s great for jobs, country race clubs and local economies.

“More than 1850 regional Queenslanders rely on the racing industry for full-time employment, with country racing contributing $225 million to the state economy. Some country race clubs might only race once or twice a year, but these race days are huge social occasions for communities around the state.

“That’s why we’re going to be the first government in Queensland history to treat country racing as a community service obligation. Our $70 million investment will not only maintain existing prize money levels, it will also enable us to deliver increased prize money in the years ahead,” she said

Racing Minister Grace Grace said the extra funding was great news for country racing. “An economic impact study by specialist economic researcher IER has found racing contributes $1.2 billion to the Queensland economy, with more than 47 per cent of economic impact benefiting regional Queensland,” she said.

“While the economic impact of racing in regional Queensland is established, the social impact can be just as great with many clubs becoming an integral part of the local community. Of the 845,000 people who attended race meetings, 69 percent were in regional areas, demonstrating the fact that racing is deeply woven into the social fabric of regional Queensland.

“The extra funding we’re announcing is in addition to the $6 million Country and Regional Capital Works Package announced earlier this year, which is delivering new and improved racing infrastructure throughout the state.

“We’ve also delivered $778,000 to nine country and regional race clubs facing hefty repair bills following Cyclone Debbie – vital funds that they’re using to rebuild key infrastructure.“Jockeys, owners, trainers, stablehands and other industry participants will all benefit from our increased investment in country and regional racing,” Ms Grace said.

TWO-year-old gelding EF Troop became the first winner for Eureka Stud sire Spirit Of Boom when scoring a determined win in the QTIS 2YO Colts and Geldings Handicap (1050m) at Doomben on Saturday, November 4.

EF Troop ($2.15 favourite) backed up an impressive 8.5 length barrier trial win to lead throughout to win by a neck. Prepared by champion Queensland trainer Tony Gollan – who also trained Spirit Of Boom and his Group 1 winning half-brother Temple Of Boom – EF Troop is from the winning Exceed And Excel mare Limealicious and hails from the family of Group 2 winning and dual Group 1 placed USA-bred mare Topicount (Private Account).

He was purchased by Gollan and renowned Brisbane-based bloodstock expert John Foote for $70,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Eureka Stud. Gollan said EF Troop's long-term aim is the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast in January

Dual Group 1 winner Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo/Temple Spirit) is standing his fourth season at Eureka Stud, Cambooya at a fee of $11,000 (inc. GST).

ACE High made it back to back Group 1wins when the star 3YO colt demolished his rivals in the  Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington, Melbourne, on Saturday, November 4.

It was the second straight Group 1 victory for the son of High Chaparral (Ire) after he led throughout in the recent Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.

Winning Rosehill-based trainer David Payne said it was a dream come true to win one of the Flemington Carnival's big features. "We’ve been planning the Derby since he was a 2YO – not long after we put him into work. It doesn’t usually work out but it has this time," he said.

Payne took a shine to the youngster at last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and he went to $130,000 to secure him from the draft of Bell River Thoroughbreds. Long time friend and client John Cordina was with Payne at the sale and immediately snapped up the colt. The investment has already netted Cordina's Summertime Thoroughbreds more than $1.4 million with four wins and a second from 12 starts.

Ace High is one of 106 individual stakes winners for deceased champion sire High Chaparral – sire of other Australian raced stars So You Think, Shoot Out, Descarado, Tivaci, Fenway and Montoya's Secret.

He is from the unraced Redoute's Choice mare Come Sunday, a three quarter sister to Rezyana and half sister to stakes winners Kneeling and That's a Good Idea. Come Sunday, who is from a stakes performed daughter of Sunday Silence, sadly only had two more foals – a High Chaparral filly and Hallowed Crown colt – before passing away. 

OF last season's 93 Australian and New Zealand Group 1 races, 31 (a third) fell to horses bought for $130,000 or less, with the average among that group of horses sitting somewhere around $55,000.

That's great news for owners hoping to find a horse good enough to win at the elite level within a budget. The statistics are contained in Breeding and Racing Racing's 2017 Group 1 Annual which reviews the 2016/17 racing season in its entirety.

Featuring race reports, key data, finish images and race videos, where available, it's a snapshot of the creme de la creme of last season, with many of the winners already picking up in the new season where they left off at the end of July. For further information visit www.breedingracing.com/2017-gr1-annual.

KEENELAND’S 12-day September Yearling Sale in Kentucky, USA, ended with gross receipts above $300 million for the first time since 2008.

Breeding and Racing webnews reports the sale of 2555 lots also produced record average and median prices and the sale of 13 seven-figure horses. Gross sales of US$307,845,400 increased 12.81 percent over 2016 by surpassing last year’s 13-day auction total of US$272,890,500 on the seventh day of selling.

Total sales represent the highest gross since the 15-day September Sale in 2008 when 3605 horses sold for US$327,999,100. The average rose 23.27 percent from US$97,740 to US$120,487, smashing the previous September Sale record of US$112,427 set in 2006, while the median of US$57,000 increased 42.50 percent from last year. The previous record median of US$50,000 was set during the 2013-2015 September Sale.

The sale topper was a Tapit full sister to Group 1 Santa Anita Gold Cup winner Cupid sold for US$2.7 million.