Latest news with #racingindustry
News.com.au
30-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Melbourne Cup-winning jockey turned trainer Michelle Payne rallies support to help drought-stricken farmers
Michelle Payne has urged fellow racing industry participants to help drought-stricken farmers with donations of any unused horse feeds. The Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, who trains in partnership with her brother Patrick, grew up on a dairy farm her father Paddy owned in Rochester, 180km north of Melbourne. 'A few of us in the racing industry have been working together to collect unused feed from our horses, taken from their bins each morning and afternoon,' Payne posted on social media. 'While this feed is top quality and helps our horses perform at their best, once removed (from the feed bins) almost all of it can no longer be used for horses in training or rest. 'However, it's still perfectly suitable for cattle, sheep, and other livestock.' Severe drought has gripped parts of rural and regional Victoria. 'With the drought hitting so hard this year and winter already upon us, it may feel a little late, but better late than never,' Payne said. 'The impact of no rain has been devastating.' A lot of hardworking trainers, especially in regional areas, already support local farmers with their own initiatives, but Payne said a statewide industry approach 'could make a real difference'. 'If each racing club across Victoria could get behind this, starting with helping trainers co-ordinate and collect, we could really scale this initiative,' Payne said. ' Ballarat, Flemington, Cranbourne and Pakenham have already been approached and are keen to support.' Payne said Aussie Hay Runners, an organisation that transported donated hay to farmers by affected by flood, bushfire and extreme weather events, could 'help with logistics wherever possible'. 'We just ask all trainers bag up their waste feed and put aside for easy collection,' Payne said. 'Feed stores making deliveries could be a huge help in collecting when dropping off feed orders – supplying an area for farmers to collect. 'Many feed companies are coming on board, thank you for your help. 'Let's come together to support our fellow Aussies doing it tough.'
News.com.au
22-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Racing Confidential: Racing NSW to roll out $650,000 flood assistance package
Racing NSW has announced a substantial emergency financial assistance package totalling $650,000 to assist those trainers, jockeys and owners in flood-ravaged regions of the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers. Peter V'landys, Racing NSW's chief executive, announced the funding initiative on Thursday to support the 'hardworking participants of the NSW racing industry during times of crisis.'' 'We understand the immense challenges our trainers and jockeys are facing, and we want to play our part to ensure the financial stress is minimal,' V'landys said. The relief package aims to provide immediate financial assistance to help those affected by 'significant disruptions, including cancelled race meetings and the inability to train horses due to unsafe conditions'. Racing NSW will distribute $500,000 directly to trainers across the impacted regions. These funds will be allocated based on the number of horses unable to compete due to the weather. Trainers will retain 20 per cent of the payment to help offset personal income losses and the remaining 80 per cent will be credited to owners' accounts to help cover ongoing training fees. An additional $150,000 will be provided to jockeys and apprentice jockeys in the region who have lost opportunities to earn prizemoney due to the disruption of scheduled race meetings. Racing NSW has been working closely with the Manning Valley Race Club and the NSW Trainers Association to assist the most severely affected trainers in Taree including safely relocating horses to higher ground, delivering feed and essential supplies, and organising barge transport of feed for horses stranded by floodwaters and inaccessible roads. â– â– â– â– â– Winx filly 'unlikely to even barrier trial this season' Winx's $10 million filly, Quinceanera, won't make her race debut this season. Quinceanera is back in light work at Chris Waller's Rosehill stables but the trainer said the two-year-old would not be rushed to the races over the winter months. 'She's progressing well but she won't be racing as a two-year-old,'' Waller said. 'It's unlikely she will even get to a barrier trial this season. Maybe by early August she could get to a trial.'' Quinceanera, the first foal out of all-time great Winx, created headlines around the racing world when Debbie Kepitis, a part-owner of Winx, went to $10 million – a world record for a yearling filly – to buy back the filly at the Inglis Easter Sale last year. Meanwhile, Kepitis has revealed no decision has been made whether Winx's rising yearling colt by Snitzel will be sold next season. Winx is owned by Kepitis, Peter and Patty Tighe, and Elizabeth Treweeke, and it is understood 'discussions will happen soon' about future plans for their superbly-bred colt. â– â– â– â– â– Joliestar completes crucial trial ahead of Brisbane mission Joliestar, who is due to contest the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm next week, finally got the chance to have a crucial barrier trial hitout on Warwick Farm 's all-weather Polytrack on Thursday. The Warwick Farm trials were used as a replacement for the Canterbury trials session that was washed out on Monday and Tuesday. Dual Group 1 winner Joliestar from the Waller stable was put through her paces by champion jockey James McDonald and was deliberately kept wide and out of trouble in her 740m trial, going to the line untested at the rear of the field. The trial was won by Angel Capital, a new stablemate of Joliestar, who gained an inside run from the turn and defeated Konasana by nearly a length. Waller's classy mare Firestorm also had an easy trial hitout finishing sixth to the speedy South Of India over 740m. Godolphin trainer James Cummings also used the opportunity to trial Stradbroke Handicap entry Golden Mile and Queensland Derby hopeful Lavalier in a 1175m heat with the stablemates finishing second and fifth respectively behind Harry's Bar. The Rosehill barrier trials scheduled for Friday have been abandoned but Randwick will now host eight trials on the PolyTrack.
