The 2018 Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival will kick off with a major boost, as the Hodgman Liberal Government strengthens the industry with a $350,000 grant towards a breeding program in 2018/19, to promote local racing industry growth.
These grants will help boost prize money to the owners of winning, locally bred horses and will be an important addition to existing breeding schemes.
This is as much a primary industry announcement as a racing one and is an important step forward for the industry and our racing election policy will include that a re-elected Hodgman Government will commit to funding the grants program for a further five years.
Tasmanian horses feature prominently in the summer racing carnival each year – with nearly 78 per cent or $2.4 million of the stakes won by local horses in 2017 – and we expect to see this continue.
We recognise the hard work of Tasracing and the carnival’s host racing clubs - the Devonport Racing Club, the Tasmanian Turf Club and the Tasmanian Racing Club, who always deliver an excellent program of events and entertainment.
With nine race days across the State, the carnival kicks off on January 10 with the 100th Devonport Cup – a major milestone for racing in the North West.
The $100,000 Cups Double Bonus will again be offered for any horse that can win both the Hobart Cup and the Launceston Cup.
Following the Devonport Cup, four carnival race days have been scheduled for Hobart, including the Hobart Cup on February 11, and another four in Launceston, with the Launceston Cup on February 28 - culminating in the new Sky Racing Australian Female Jockey Championships.