Funding cuts rock SA industry

3 min read

Written by Paul Vettise

South Australian racing was dealt a thunderbolt on Friday with the State Government announcing a multi-million dollar funding cut. Long-serving trainer Rich Jolly believes the industry has now sunk to its lowest ebb.

Regional racing clubs will miss out on infrastructure projects while South Australia will become the only mainland State without a $1 million race.

Thoroughbred Racing South Australia has announced a $2.25 million cut in infrastructure funding for its 25 clubs due to the impact of a consumption tax imposed on the Industry's operations, which nets the State Government around $16 million per annum.

“The Government are not committing to put anything back until the Budget and that’s June of next year so it’s a long way off for us,” the Morphettville-based conditioner said.

“It’s not good when you cut prize-money any time and we were struggling before. The state’s going backwards.” – SA trainer, Richard Jolly.

“It’s not good when you cut prize-money any time and we were struggling before. The state’s going backwards.”

In addition, the removal of $3 million in annual funding for the Adelaide Carnival has forced Thoroughbred Racing SA to cut prizemoney across the three-week event, including losing the $1 million pots offered for both the G1 Darley Goodwood and the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes.

South Australia was the first state in the country to introduce a Point of Consumption (POC) tax on bets made by SA racing and sports fans.

There is far less incentive for bookmakers to promote South Australian racing to punters

As POC tax rate of 15 per cent is significantly higher than Australia's two largest States, New South Wales at 10 per cent and Victoria at eight per cent, there is far less incentive for bookmakers to promote South Australian racing.

“It’s basically our money and the Government’s taking it and not giving anything back.” – Richard Jolly

“It’s basically our money and the Government’s taking it and not giving anything back,” Jolly said. “With the prize-money levels it’s hard to sustain a business.

“We’ve had trainers already leave the State and it’s certainly not going to get any better.”

Jolly said the timing of the funding cut announcements couldn’t have come at a worse time for trainers.

“The yearling sales are coming up so it’s going to be very hard with these cuts to buy anything.”

On a brighter note, Jolly and his daughter Chantelle, who joined her father in partnership in September, have two good chances in Saturday’s Listed Adelaide Galvanising Christmas H. with Go The Journey (Good Journey {USA}) fit to return and Karlovasi (Reean) back in form.

“Go The Journey is first-up from a spell, but he’s been back in work for a while and he’s been set for this race.” – Richard Jolly.

“They’re two live chances. Go The Journey is first-up from a spell, but he’s been back in work for a while and he’s been set for this race,” he said.

“He was second in it last year and he’s going just as well as he was 12 months ago.

“Karlovasi lost a bit form and he’s bounced back well. With the right run he’s a capable horse.”

Go The Journey hasn’t raced since June, but he has won in a fresh state twice before while Karlovasi won on the track two starts back and then finished fourth in the Listed City of Marion S.