Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
Earlier in the month, we looked at what each state and territory offers in the way of breeding and racing incentives, and now we can run some simulations on what is on offer in each state. Over five scenarios, we have compared what owners, and breeders, could realistically put themselves in line for.
Each scenario places an example horse in a racing jurisdiction and looks at what they would earn in over a snapshot of their racing career.
Scenario 1: Quick off the mark QTIS
Profile: 2-year-old filly, born in Queensland and sired by a QTIS stallion
Bonus scheme: QTIS
Incentive entry fees: Free for QTIS stallion
This speedy filly was forward from day one. Her owners bought her at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $120,000 and she had a winning metropolitan debut before Christmas. She picked up a placing in the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes and her owners are hopeful of a spot in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Returns to owners: $34,545
QTIS eligible owners | Image courtesy of Racing Queensland
That Magic Millions spot will earn a $10,000 bonus, but the metropolitan win comes with a smart bonus of $34,545 for the winning owners, lifting the race’s prizemoney total from $48,800 to $85,550 (inclusive of breeders’ bonus). Not bad for just the one start! If she can win the Magic Millions, that bonus can be turned into a $20,000 sales voucher to purchase a QTIS eligible yearling at a Queensland sale.
Returns to breeders: $2205
Breeders receive an equivalent of 6% of the eligible winner’s QTIS bonus for all QTIS races in Queensland. All Queensland sires are eligible for this bonus, which further opens up a breeder’s options. If she can make it into the Magic Millions and win, the breeder will receive a $5000 bonus cheque.
Scenario 2: A handy record in South Australia
Profile: 3-year-old gelding, sired out of state but bred, owned, and trained in South Australia
Bonus scheme: Racing Rewards SA
Incentive entry fees: Free for SA breeder
This homebred gelding didn’t debut until the spring of his 3-year-old season, but is stringing together a handy record for his Morphettville-based trainer. In five starts, he has picked up three wins, a third, and a sixth placing. Two of these wins and the third placing are at Saturday metropolitan meetings, and thus eligible for a bonus. His New South Wales-based sire stands for $16,500 inc GST.
Returns to owners: $30,010
Racing Rewards SA eligible owners | Image courtesy of Racing SA
This gelding's trainer has placed him smartly to capitalise on the bonus scheme available, and he has picked up a $14,850 bonus for each of his wins, plus another $2310 cheque for his third placing.
Returns to breeders: $13,585
Since this gelding is a homebred, these bonuses go to the same place as above. Each eligible win has earned a tidy $6270 plus the third placing brings in a nominator's cheque of $1045. This breeder knows the worth of ensuring they nominate for their local schemes.
Scenario 3: A Victorian colt on the up
Profile: 2-year-old colt, sired by VOBIS stallion, upgraded to VOBIS Gold and VOBIS Platinum
Bonus scheme: VOBIS
Incentive entry fees: $725 plus $1400 for VOBIS Gold, free for VOBIS Platinum when nominating for VOBIS Silver and VOBIS Gold at same time
This colt was in the top echelon of the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, with his owners paying $575,000 to take him home. He debuted unplaced in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial, but has improved come the autumn, running second and then winning a metropolitan race at Flemington. Stepped up in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (colts & geldings), he runs a promising third.
Returns to owners: $11,700
VOBIS eligible owners | Image courtesy of Racing Victoria
While the ownership group will be aiming higher after a third placing at Group 3 level, the $9100 for his metropolitan win and the $2600 from the third placing certainly don’t go amiss. There is no ceiling to the bonuses in Victoria either, and there's more on the line if he runs in VOBIS Gold races.
Returns to breeders: $6140
The VOBIS scheme is particularly kind to breeders due to the VOBIS Silver Nominator Bonus offering a total bonus pool of $20,000 for 2-year-old and 3-year-old black-type racing. For a third place finish in the Prelude, this colt earns his breeder (assuming they were the nominator) an additional $2000 on top of the $3220 for his metropolitan win and the $920 for his third placing.
Scenario 4: The high-flying filly in Sydney
Profile: 3-year-old filly, born in New South Wales and sired by a BOBS stallion
Bonus scheme: BOBS
Incentive entry fees: $990
This filly was bred by one of the country’s leading nurseries and offered at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, where she sold for $700,000. She won a metropolitan 2-year-old race in Victoria before being transferred to her trainer’s Sydney stable in preparation for a big spring, where she has picked up another metropolitan win and two Listed placings before winning the G2 1000 Guineas Prelude.
Returns to owners: $16,000
BOBS Eligible horse | Image courtesy of Racing NSW
Whilst the win in Victoria won’t give her a bonus, this filly’s ownership completed the nomination process for her with a view to racing her in New South Wales in the future. The $16,000 winner’s bonus could potentially be doubled up as a voucher for use at an eligible yearling sale, breeze-up sale, or to pay for a service fee on a BOBS eligible stallion. If the ownership takes this filly to stud at the end of her career, $32,000 is a good start to make on a commercial fee!
Returns to breeders: $0
There are no breeder bonuses in New South Wales, but perhaps this filly’s breeders stayed in for a leg, and now they have another Group-winning graduate from their farm.
Scenario 5: Staying for days
Profile: 4-year-old gelding, sired out of state but mare is 50% Western Australian-owned and was bred back to WA stallion
Bonus scheme: Westspeed
Incentive entry fees: $825 due to the breed back
This gelding took a little longer to mature than his compatriots, but he still has plenty to give for his patient owner, who bought him at the Magic Millions Perth Winter Yearling Sale for $35,000, then syndicated him with their friends and the trainer. A winner twice at country level over 1800 metres, he steps up to provincial level and is second at 2000 metres, before adding another win at the same distance.
Returns to owners: $16,550
Westspeed eligible owners | Image courtesy of Racing WA
It’s not quite the record of Playin'it Sweet (Playing God), who has amassed over $308,000 in Westspeed bonuses so far, but $16,550 is a great top-up alongside prizemoney. The gelding picks up $4150 bonus cheques for each of his country wins, since they are both at 1750 metres or more, and since the provincial race had prizemoney between $30,000 and $49,999, his third win bags him a bonus of $8250.
Returns to breeders: $5550
Since the gelding isn’t eligible for Westspeed Platinum for WA-sired horses, the breeder bonuses are a little smaller, but still worth $1400 for each of his country wins, plus $2750 for his third victory. Playing God is the only stallion currently standing in Western Australia for more than $9900 inc GST, which means this breeder is well on the way to affording a service fee in their home state.
