A minimum stake of $7000 per race, an increase of $1000, has been set by Gallop South for the season beginning tomorrow.
GS, which oversees thoroughbred racing in Otago and Southland, has been allocated 24 racing permits, an increase of two on last season.
Stakes distribution of $3,869,000 is proposed, an increase of $34,700 on this season, according to figures supplied by chief executive Andrew Klein.
It is the first time the entity will be operating with bulk funding directed by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.
The stakes total five years ago was $2,111,500.
NZTR chief executive Paul Bittar told a racing forum at Wingatui this week that stakes in NZ had increased 42% in the past two years. He said there had not been a flow on to the number of horses being bred and raced.
"The reality is that we haven't seen a change at the breeding or racing level," he said.
He said the foal crop for 2008 would be down to 4000, a decline of 205 since 2003.
He said the economic downturn was reflected in betting turnovers.
"Sixty-eight percent of meetings have not met budget since March," he said.
He also raised the issue of the Forbury Park Trotting Club reloacting to Wingatui which was explored several years ago.
"Wingatui has a key opportunity with the Forbury Park Club to develop a dual-code venue," he said.
• The Hawkes Bay meeting scheduled for today has been postponed until Sunday after heavy rain, NZPA reports.
Scratchings have been reinstated, but all race times have been amended, with the first race due at 11.05am.
It is the fourth meeting cancelled in the central districts in the past five weeks due to bad weather.
• Blake Shinn sealed the Sydney jockeys' premiership with two wins at Canterbury yesterday, AAP reports.
He took his tally to 79 wins, five ahead of Nash Rawiller.
Shinn (20) is the youngest person to win the title since Malcolm Johnston triumphed as an apprentice in 1975-76.
"It is definitely great to do it, especially in my first season in Sydney," Shinn said.
"I have had terrific support from a number of people outside of my boss, Gai Waterhouse, and I can't thank them enough."
Shinn and Rawiller were enticed to Sydney last year by Waterhouse and the two are close friends.
Jim Byrne has won the Brisbane's jockeys' premiership for a third time.
He rode two winners at the final meeting for the season at Eagle Farm yesterday to take his tally to 46.
He finished three wins ahead of Glen Colless, who won the title in 2000 and the past two years.
Barry Baldwin was the leading Brisbane trainer and Mandy Radecker the leading apprentice.
