Industry News

TBA to conduct mental health workshops in NSW, Victoria and online 

Australia’s peak thoroughbred breeding body will continue its investment in tackling mental health issues amongst the industry’s workforce. The Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) will be conducting a number of free workshops in the coming weeks. TBA has partnered with respected mental health educator Pip Baker to hold the in-person workshops in the breeding heartlands of... Read More

Victoria seeks to protect program with $1 million bonus incentives

Racing Victoria has offered up to $5 million in bonuses for its feature races in a bid to lure high-profile horses to its spring carnival, amid the prize-money increases and new races in New South Wales.  The bonuses are applied in a series of $1 million offerings attached to five races, with the incentives paid... Read More

NZTR announce stakes increases and new investment for racing

The New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Board yesterday announced an exciting and innovative growth plan which will see more than $7 million prize-money increase with a strategic injection of stakes across 20 of New Zealand’s best performing racedays. NZTR chairman Cameron George said the board’s aim was to provide opportunities to increase revenue and deliver bigger... Read More

Breeders eligible for millions of dollars in government loans after change to criteria

Thoroughbred breeders in Australia will, from July, be able to access millions of dollars worth of loans from the federal government after a review by the Regional Investment Corporation concluded that its definition of ‘primary producer’ should be widened to include the thoroughbred industry.  The RIC was set up in 2018 in order to support... Read More

Messara resigns as Racing Australia chair

A tumultuous 24 hours for Racing Australia has culminated in the resignation of chairman John Messara last night, a day after chief executive Myles Foreman foreshadowed his departure in June.  Arrowfield Stud principal Messara, who was appointed in May in an attempt to mend the thawed relationship between Racing NSW and Racing Victoria, conceded defeat... Read More

‘Sorry, you’ve got a mare by who…?’

Trevor Marshallsea talks to a Melbourne-based breeder who has amassed his own collection of bloodstock royalty  There’s a hobby breeder in Melbourne who loves the reactions when he rings stud farms asking about possible covers for his mares. Sometimes they think they’re crank calls. They sound like the breeding world’s equivalent of Elvis sightings. “Yeah... Read More