Good News on NZ Stakes

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing reports:

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) announced today
that stakes levels for the 2020/21 racing season will return to those in the
2019/20 season pre-COVID.

“The NZTR Board met yesterday and I am pleased to
advise the wider industry that our stake levels were determined for the coming
season,” NZTR CEO Bernard Saundry said. 
“It is our intention that stakes levels will remain consistent with the
pre-COVID levels, however we need to be aware that we continue to operate in an
uncertain environment.”

“As an industry we need to be cognisant of the
continuing uncertainties that COVID-19 has brought about and be nimble enough
to make adjustments if required,” Saundry said.

“As a code we will work closely with the TAB to address
any variations that may occur during the upcoming season,” he said.  “At the same time though, we need to provide
encouragement for our owners, and we will be continuing with two initiatives
introduced during our return to racing period in the new season.”

NZTR introduced payment back to 14th place and no
nomination or acceptance fees for those horses which started at the return to
racing meetings, as an acknowledgement of the difficult times experienced by
owners during the lockdown period.  Both
will continue from 1 August.

On the programming front, August and September will
see the return of Maiden, 3YO and R65 races. 
Programmes will still include Open Entry races to maximise opportunities
for horses, however this will be reviewed throughout that period.

“NZTR acknowledges the support of the government and
the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) during these difficult times as we
navigated the lockdown and post-COVID environment while also negotiating the
passage of the Racing Industry Bill,” Saundry said.

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