Racing Queensland has announced a change to its Metropolitan Win Definition to coincide with the base level prize money increases to come into effect from October 1 this year.

Racing Queensland Operations Manager (Thoroughbreds) Ross Gove said the new $13,500 threshold had been introduced to ensure metropolitan mid-week winners would still be eligible for no-metropolitan win races at a Saturday metropolitan meeting.

“As a result of the increases to prize money, the existing definition of a metropolitan win would have denied mid-week winners at metropolitan meetings the opportunity of subsequently racing in a no-metropolitan winners race,” Mr Gove said.

“This means if the threshold had remained at $11,500, owners and trainers of mid-week winners would have missed an opportunity to race for the $65,000 in stakes carried by weekend no-metropolitan win races.

“This is another way in which Racing Queensland is ensuring it delivers as much money as possible back to the industry for the benefit of participants.”

Mr Gove said the decision ensured participants were able to receive the maximum benefit from the recent prize money increases.

“The decision was made in the best interests of our participants and we will continue to work with the industry to ensure our decision-making is aligned to its needs.”

METROPOLITAN WIN DEFINITION

For the purpose of determining metropolitan wins, a win in a flat race, the prize for which is worth $13,500 or less to the winner, run at a metropolitan meeting in Australia, shall be deemed to be a win in a nonmetropolitan race. When determining the value of prize money, no account shall be taken of bonuses or added stakes payment not available to all horses eligible to be entered for the race. A win on the flat in any other country shall be deemed to be a metropolitan win except that, for the purpose of this condition, no account shall be taken of wins in maiden races in Australia and New Zealand.