Racing industry unites to tackle country's bushfire catastrophe

The Australian racing industry is pulling together on a macro and micro level to tackle the unprecedented bushfires ravaging the nation as both the governing body in New South Wales and individual jockeys and owners have offered financial aid.

Racing NSW on Thursday announced funding was available on application for participants affected by the raging fires that have left around 5.5 million hectares (13.5 million acres) of land – the equivalent of almost 70 per cent of Scotland – burned, with the death toll rising and over 200 homes destroyed.

The overwhelming majority of the destruction has been in New South Wales, with the state suffering four million hectares of fire damage. The California wildfires in 2018 covered 1.8m hectares and the fires last year in the Amazon rainforest covered roughly 900,000 hectares.

The organisation has been contacting individuals directly and assisting with immediate needs and Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys said: “There has been significant loss suffered by participants through associated costs. Racing NSW is conscious of the extra financial burden this causes and will assist with funding to replace or replenish supplies and equipment.”

In addition, Racing NSW provided a one-off emergency funding relief package for owners, trainers and jockeys affected by the loss of meetings due to their proximity to the fires.

V’landys added: “There has been a substantial interruption to horses’ programmes as well as personal and business disruption and losses suffered by participants as a consequence of the bushfires.”

Meetings lost

December 31, 2019: Nowra (cancelled 7.15am day of meeting)

January 2, 2020: Sapphire Coast (cancelled December 31, 2019)

January 6, 2020: Moruya (cancelled January 1, 2020)

The relief package includes payments of A$200 per horse scheduled to race at Nowra and Sapphire Coast – and A$100 per nominated horse at Moruya – or A$500 for horses trained on the south coast, four rides payment per jockey per meeting for all riders engaged, regardless of the number of rides, and a one-off payment of A$500 for south coast trainers that had runners at one of those meetings.

Owner donates his share of prize-money

The bushfires are not just an issue in New South Wales, however, with Victoria also badly affected and Nathan Bennett, who operates the Bennett Racing syndicate, has donated his share of winning prize-money landed by Wednesday's impressive Flemington winner Goldifox to help the relief efforts in the state's East Gippsland area.

Bennett donated his ten per cent share of the prize-money from winning the VJA Association Trophy, which equates to approximately A$5,000, to a charity providing aid to communities affected by the crisis.

Speaking to Racing.com, he said: "I own ten per cent of the filly, so with my percentage I'm going to donate to one of the fire charities. Just watching what's been happening over there near Bairnsdale - they've done it tough and I couldn't think of anything worse over this period of the year."

Tommy Berry leads wave of jockeys donating

It was not just Bennett, leading jockey Tommy Berry tweeted: "It is overwhelming to see the support shown by other sportsman getting around people in need, I would like to join them so for the month of January I will be donating $250 for every winner I ride to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal. Big thanks to our brave firefighters #heros".

Berry's tweet, which has had 134 retweets and over 1,500 likes, drew a reaction from the weighing room with Damian Lane – who rode seven Group 1 winners in 2019 – joining the pledge.

Young apprentice Chris Williams was another. He tweeted: "Definitely a senior rider I admire a lot so I may not be a Tommy Berry but I’ll donate $200 for every winner I ride for the month of January. Let’s hope I can get 1 tonight. Hats of to every man and women fighting these fires #heros".

Members can read the latest exclusive interviews, news analysis and comment available from 6pm daily on racingpost.com