THE Bathurst Cup is already the jewel in the crown of the Bathurst Greyhound Racing Club, but now it is set to get even bigger.
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The marquee race will benefit from one of the biggest funding increases in the history of the sport, with $3.2 million to be injected across New South Wales.
The Bathurst Cup will now carry a winning purse of $25,000 - a massive increase from the $10,000 it previously offered - while it has also been upgraded to hold Group 3 status.
It is news which has delighted Bathurst Greyhound Racing Club's manager Jason Lyne.
"Having a cup that's now a Group 3 race and $25,000 to the winner, we'll have dogs coming from Victoria and Queensland and all around the state for it," Lyne said.
"It's always been a very prestigious race, the Bathurst Cup, so it's just going to have a lot more weight and value to it. It's a fantastic thing for us."
But a boost to the cup's stakes is not the only good news for the Bathurst club. As of July 1, all Bathurst races (excluding maidens) will have a minimum prize of $1,500.
That is also a significant increase from the current $850 minimum.
Lyne, who has been part of the industry since adolescence, said this is among the biggest positive changes he has seen. In total over the next 12 months of racing in NSW, a record $33 million in prize money will be paid out.
Bathurst is one of five clubs - Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, Grafton and Goulburn the others - to have its cup race elevated to Group 3 prize money status.
Lyne is hopeful the funding boosts will in turn see participant numbers increase.
"It's fantastic for a few regional clubs who are privileged enough to have received that money. I'm very, very excited, and it's a fantastic boom for the industry. Brilliant," Lyne said.
"I think the big positive from my perspective is that a lot of dogs will stay in New South Wales, particularly over the short course ... I think we, New South Wales, provide a lot of the dogs for other states, but hopefully it's going to keep all the dogs in New South Wales."
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Greyhound Racing NSW chief executive officer Tony Mestrov also acknowledged it is a huge boost to Bathurst, with the cup to carry a total purse of $33,000. That is a significant increase from the old mark of $13,000.
"We are delighted to be able to reflect the importance of the Bathurst Cup by lifting the race to Group 3 prize money status," he said.
"The prize money increases reflect the importance of these time-honoured events and will shine an even brighter light on those meetings and towns.
"This is a significant announcement for the Bathurst Greyhound Racing Club and all participants within the grassroots regions who race at the track."
