LEADING trainer Symon Wilde will take the shock move of side-stepping some maiden and restricted races at the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival next month in favour of easier targets offering the same prizemoney at lesser race meetings.
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The Grand Annual Steeplechase and Warrnambool Cup-winning trainer said there would be no shortages of horses being aimed at maiden and benchmark races on the first two days of the three-day carnival which offer total prizemoney of $35,000.
However, there are races programmed at other meetings that offer similar prizemoney around that period of time that are less difficult to win.
"I think the $35,000 prize-money for the maidens and benchmark races is not good enough," Wilde told The Standard.
I think the $35,000 prize-money for the maidens and benchmark races is not good enough.
- Symon Wilde
"Prizemoney for the maidens and benchmark races at the carnival should be $50,000 minimum.
"It's the biggest and best country carnival in Australia but I don't believe the prizemoney is good enough.
"We'll enter some horses in the maidens and benchmark races but we will not have as many runners as previous years in the restricted races.
"It's tough to win maidens and benchmark races at Warrnambool.
"We're running in metro midweek quality races at the carnival.
"It just makes good business sense to target those types of races at lesser race meetings where the class is not as strong.
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"We want to keep the quality of horses and trainers at the carnival by offering top prizemoney."
Wilde said it was time that Racing Victoria and Country Racing Victoria looked at its prizemoney levels.
"The betting turnover from the carnival is huge," he said.
"RV and CRV set the stakemoney levels.
"The costs for owners have increased over the last few years but sadly the prizemoney has not increased."
Racing Victoria's Shaun Kelly said discussions regarding annual planning for prizemoney in 2020-21 were under way and would be announced by June.
The May Carnival will begin on Tuesday, May 4.
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