Queensland racing is set to be delivered a big boost with an agreement finally reached for the highly popular bonus scheme.
The QTIS is a system which rewards owners with extra cash payouts should their horses win the eligible races.
It’s a structure which is replicated under various names right around the country and many breeders and owners credit it with propping up the entire industry, especially in country sectors.
As it stand Racing Queensland and the Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland Association have agreed on a deal which will come into place on August 1st 2012.
It’s a combined version of the previous QTIS program and the QTIS 600 program.
All up it’s expected a benefit of $8.88 million will be made available to the qualified two and three year old racehorses.
The bonuses will be split into three regions, metropolitan, provincial and country.
There will be 75 bonuses in place for metropolitan race meetings at a payout of $40,000.
These races will be hosted at every Saturday meeting as well as every public holiday meeting where prize money is less than $100,000.
Provincial tracks will have the lion’s share of bonuses with 305 to be delivered.
They will pay out $15,000 each during the TAB covered meetings.
Non-TAB country meetings will be allocated a $5,000 bonus with up to 185 on offer during the year.
This means any QTIS covered race at metro level will have minimum prize money of $90,000, $25,000 provincially and $11,000 in the country.
There are also a number of race series which will be developed throughout the provincial sectors.
Townsville and Rockhampton which each host both a two and three year series with prize money of $50,000 a piece.
Mackay and Cairns will do the same with $30,000 on offer.
Emerald will also have $30,000 for a two year old series while Roma will use its $30,000 for three year olds.
Eligibility criteria remain that a horse must simply be bred in Queensland or a breed back, an idea to include interstate horses at an increased fee was scuttled by the TBQA.
It’s a good step forward for Racing Queensland who have recently been at odds with various other groups operating in the state.
“At all times Mr Nolan (head of TBQA) acted in the best interests of the broader racing industry, recognising Racing Queensland’s obligations to all industry groups across the three-codes of racing,” said Mr Bentley (chairman of RQ).
“This new scheme addresses Racing Queensland’s concerns regarding declining registrations, whilst delivering increased stakeholder benefits.”
All horses already working under either the QTIS or QTIS 600 scheme will continue as normal.
Payments to register a horse under the scheme are due by the first of October when they are a yearling or the fees drastically increase.
Queensland bred horses are $900 to register with an October payment, that price jumps to $2250 if it’s late.
Breed back horses are $2520 at the reduced rate and $6300 if done after.
