Much-needed financial help appears on the way for Tasmania's embattled racing industry after the State Government and Tasracing announced plans for a support package on Tuesday.
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While details of the deal are yet to be finalised in terms of how the funds will be divided up among the three codes, the Racing Minister, Jane Howlett, stated it will amount to around $2 million per month and "broadly ensure stakes money will continue to be paid to the racing industry through the postponement."
Contributions will come from both Tasracing and a loan from the State Government.
The news came as a welcome relief to leading trainer Leon Wells and his Wells Racing team that operate stables both at Spreyton and Brighton.
Wells, who employs a total of 16 staff across the two sites, said the assistance will help keep his staff in a job.
"I haven't worked out the facts and figures so I honestly don't know, but anything is a very good starting point for us, there's no doubt about that," Wells said.
"At the end of the day, Tasmanian racing is run by the government and Tasracing, so we'll be happy with whatever we get.
"On top of the 16 staff, you have trackwork riders as well and there is no way we would have been able to afford to keep paying them without assistance."
Wells added that the injection of funds would also allow trainers to continue working horses during the cessation and not force them to find alternative arrangements for them.
"Without the funding the horses would be in the paddock, and I'm not quite sure how many horses would be in work at one time, maybe 400-500 across all the trainers, but I wouldn't think there would be a place in Tasmania to put that many horses out," Wells said.
"We'll keep our horses going and won't be doing anything until we can get some sort of date when we will start back, provided everything keeps going okay with the coronavirus within a few weeks.
Tasracing CEO Paul Eriksson said in a statement that his organisation would be talking to thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing participants to discuss the package and work out the finer details for each code.
Financial assistance for each animal would vary, depending on the code and the package would be implemented and administered by Tasracing in the majority, with help from the Office of Racing Integrity.
"As noted previously, the welfare of racing animals is a key issue for the industry to manage during this shutdown period," Eriksson said.
"We want to be in a good position to return to racing when the shutdown is lifted."