1420 yearlings sign for VOBIS Gold Scheme
25 Jul 2012 | Racing Victoria Ltd Victorian Minister for Racing Denis Napthine has announced 1,420 yearlings have been signed up to Victoria’s new VOBIS Gold scheme.
The nominations include two glamour fillies – the half sister to Black Caviar (currently named ‘Pippa’) and the half sister to Makybe Diva – sold at the Inglis sales earlier this year for $2.6 million and $1.2 million respectively.
“The response to the first year of VOBIS Gold has been overwhelming with numbers about 400 above what was anticipated,” Dr Napthine said.
“The Victorian Coalition Government is providing $6.8 million over four years to the VOBIS Gold scheme and we are extremely excited about this partnership with the racing industry.
“It is a brilliant system providing a real boost to the Victorian racing industry by encouraging owners and trainers to purchase Victorian bred yearlings and to also race their horses in Victoria.
“I am particularly pleased by these results and I am looking forward to seeing the effect this astounding level of interest has on the Victorian breeding industry.
“The economic benefits to Victoria including new job opportunities created by a growing breeding industry are enormous,” Dr Napthine said.
Rob Hines, Chief Executive of Racing Victoria said the industry is delighted with the response to VOBIS Gold which has set the platform for the scheme’s success into future years.
“On top of the significant prize money increases that take effect from 1 August, owners of VOBIS Gold two-year-olds will be competing for record returns next season and this will continue right throughout their horse’s racing career,”
“Whilst owners will be handsomely rewarded on raceday, we have already seen the benefit for Victorian breeders at this year’s yearling sales and the demand for VOBIS Gold eligible horses will only grow in the future,” Mr Hines said.
Tim Johnson, President of Thoroughbred Breeders of Victoria (TBV), said VOBIS Gold has already been a great result for the state’s breeding industry.
“When TBV proposed VOBIS Gold to Minister Napthine we were confident it would result in an increased interest in the already flourishing Victorian bred product and be well received by owners so it is heartening to see this come to fruition,” Mr Johnson said.
VOBIS Gold will see bonuses of $20,000 in up to 350 races each season over and above what is provided through Super VOBIS making a total bonus pool of up to $18 million when fully operational.
Dr Napthine also announced the very first VOBIS Gold bonus race will be a two year-old maiden run at Ballarat Racecourse on Thursday, 1 November.
The race will include a VOBIS Gold bonus of $20,000 and a special Super VOBIS bonus of $30,000, making the total prize money on offer for VOBIS Gold eligible horses $80,000.
The first metropolitan VOBIS Gold bonus will be on offer at Moonee Valley on Friday night, 30 November with $85,000 available in total for eligible two-year-old fillies.
As part of the new program, a VOBIS Gold premier race series has also been set:
$180,000 VOBIS Gold Carat (1,000m 2YO) – Caulfield, 5 January 2013
$280,000 VOBIS Gold Rush (1,000m 2YO) – Bendigo, 16 March 2013
$210,000 VOBIS Gold Stakes (1,200m 2YO) – Flemington, 13 April 2013
$100,000 VOBIS Gold Strike (1,000m 2YO Fillies) – Warrnambool, 30 April 2013
$160,000 VOBIS Gold Elvstroem Classic (1,300m 2YO) – Swan Hill, 7 June 2013