More money for trotters in NSW

Prizemoney for trotting races in New South Wales has been given a turbo boost through funding initiatives engineered by Harness Racing New South Wales.

Working in association with the state’s Principal club – Club Menangle – the trotting fraternity will benefit significantly from the overall funding injection announced recently by HRNSW Chairman Ken Brown AM.

Established races for the open grade trotters will receive prizemoney uplifts, be renamed to honour champions of the sport and be have time incentives attached.

The Maori’s Idol Mile and Scotch Notch Mile will be raced for $100,000 over the mile distance at Tabcorp Park Menangle during the 2023 Miracle Mile Carnival. These races will be instantly recognised as the speed championships for trotters in Australasia through the inclusion of $25,000 time incentives for each race.

The Tabcorp Park Menangle track record is 1:51.5 set in 2018 by Maori Time in the Aquagait Trotters Mile. There is every chance this will be lowered given the time incentives and added prizemoney on offer.

The three Trot NSW Finals to be held this July at Tabcorp Park Menangle will receive an instant lift in prizemoney from $30,000 to $50,000.

The two most prestigious trotting races on the calendar – the NSW Trot Derby and the NSW Oaks – will both retain Group 1 status under the revised national guidelines, with prizemoney of $75,000 in 2023.

“The HRNSW Board in association with Club Menangle Directors is showing a commitment to trotting in New South Wales and providing opportunities by putting some serious money into our established prestige races,” HRNSW Chief Executive John Dumesny said.

“Yes there other races in other States which recognise two absolute champions in Maori’s idol and Scotch Notch, but we in New South Wales should also acknowledge the deeds of these two Australian bred immortals of the trotting ranks.

“The investment in the Foundation Series over the past decade has been returning dividends in the breeding of trotters here in New South Wales and it would have be an injustice if the exclusive Trot NSW Finals were not given a funding injection.

“With the national change to the Group criteria, it is more than justified to retain Group One status for the time honoured NSW Trotters Derby and Oaks.

“Working with Club Menangle there is no reason why the expansion in the number of trotters races at both mid-week and metropolitan meetings should not improve, along with prizemoney, as the trotting gait is integral to the long term sustainability of our great code of racing.”

The prizemoney changes will come into effect as of 1 July, 2022.