Racing Queensland’s QBRED incentive scheme has cemented its place among Australia’s best with registered horses racing for an additional $330,000 per year in bonuses from next season as part of a host of improvements announced this week.
Under the improvements to come into effect for the 2015-16 season, 2YO fillies will receive $12,000 for their first win as a 2YO in any Queensland 2YO age race, while 2YO colts and gelding will receive $10,000 for their first win under the same conditions.
The 3YO age group has also received a boost with fillies receiving $7,000 for their first win as a 3YO in any Queensland 3YO age race and 3YO colts and geldings will receive a $5,000 bonus.
The recently-elevated Group 1 QBRED Triad Finals and Group 2 QBRED Breeders’ Classic Final purses have also increased for each gender to $100,000 and $50,000 respectively for the 2015-16 season.
Racing Queensland CEO Darren Condon said the increased QBRED bonuses capped off a big 12 months for the harness industry, which was also on the receiving end of a 16 per cent base level prize money increase and feature prize money boosts.
“These improvements almost certainly rank QBRED as the nation’s best harness breeding scheme and we are pleased to be able to continue to deliver increased opportunities for our participants to increase their returns,” Mr Condon said.
“The increases to the breeding scheme offer even more incentive for our participants to support Queensland breeders and race for what will be a significant maiden prize purse for those horses.
“The boosts to the Triad and Breeders’ Classic Finals are also in keeping with Racing Queensland’s commitment to make the racing product more compelling, bolstering the quality of horses racing on a regular basis.
“With the APG sales just around the corner and the Redcliffe Yearling Sale (Series 8) in March, anyone buying a horse should be looking at its QBRED eligibility to take advantage of these increases.”
The improvements to come into effect in September 2015 are:
- Cash bonuses for first win as 2, 3 or 4YO QBRED registered horses
- $12k bonus for 2YO fillies
- $10k bonus for 2YO C&G
- $7k bonus for 3YO fillies
- $5k bonus for 3YO C&G
- $3k bonus for ALL 4YO QBRED registered horses
2. $1,000 bonus certificate awarded to QBRED registered horses for their first win as 2 or 3YO.
3. Prize money increased to $100,000 for each gender QBRED Triad Finals
4. Prize money increased to $50,000 for each gender QBRED Breeder’s Classic Final.
5. 5% of winning stakes for QBRED Triad Finals and Breeder’s Classic Finals paid directly to the Breeder.
6. Up to $5k in incentive certificates for QBRED registered mares in the new Queensland Mare Owners Breeding Incentive Scheme.
Mr Condon said it was an exciting time to be involved in the harness industry with plenty of opportunities for new participants to become involved or for existing participants to continue to invest.
“Coupled with the base level and feature prize money increases and the addition of seven new Group 1 races in 2015-16, the QBRED improvements set the scene for what should be another great season of racing come September.
“We have so many talented young people in our harness industry, who began as drivers and our now dipping a toe in the water as trainers, so these boosts couldn’t have come at a better time.”
