Tony Higgs laments prize money disparity after Silk Cloud runs second in NSW Breeders Challenge final

Higgs' filly Silk Cloud produced a huge run on Saturday night to finish second in the New South Wales Breeders Challenge Two-Year-Old Fillies Final (1,609 metres) at Menangle Park, an effort which saw her awarded $22,500 in prize money.

But on Saturday afternoon in the Racing NSW Golden Eagle feature race at Rosehill, the runner-up won $1.5 million.

"It's a shame that trotting isn't up there with gallops with the prize money otherwise I'd be eating chicken instead of the feathers," Higgs said.

"They have million dollar races every second week in the gallops, and they talk about how good this race was and it's a pinnacle of our sport, I only got $20,000 for running second. Fair dinkum, if that was the gallops, I'd be smiling, I'd be up on the Gold Coast buying a unit.

"We were up there in the 60s and 70s with them with the prize money, but we went backwards and they went forwards and it's just a shame.

"So it was terrific how she [Silk Cloud] went, but it's a shame with the prize money and rewards, that's why we don't get owners in the game. It's so, so sad not to see people in our industry get the rewards they deserve.

"I used to train for owners years ago and I had a lot of horses in work, but I couldn't charge what it was worth for me to train the horses as the prize money just isn't there."

While the prize money left Higgs frustrated, that was certainly not what he felt as he watched the Group 1 final unfold.

With star reinsman Luke McCarthy in the gig, he urged Silk Cloud ($8.50) to use her gate speed from barrier nine. She then settled in third, but faced the breeze heading up the outside line of runners.

Into the home straight it was $1.60 favourite Madrid who led by and while she went on to win in a blistering 1:51.9 mile rate, Silk Cloud finished well to place a 3.1m second.

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It was a much better result that Higgs had anticipated from the wide draw.

"What I said, honestly this is the truth, after the semi run I said if she draws a good barrier she's a top two chance. But when the barrier came out I said she'd be lucky to run a place," the owner revealed.

"I've only driven a couple of times at Menangle, but that gate flies and you've got to keep up with the gate and then you've got to get out, you've got to burn that much fuel to go out.

"That's what Luke done, just takes so much out of them, but the way she went is just amazing.

"I said to someone that if you draw bad at Menangle, it's like giving Usain Bolt a 10 metre start over 100 metres, you can't make the ground up. You've either got to work hard early or hope they go hard early and you can come over the top of them, but nine times out of 10 they are still getting home in sub-27 [seconds].

"So if you're giving them five lengths start, what hope do you have?"

The second placing in the Breeders Challenge final adds to the third placing for Silk Cloud in the Group 1 Gold Tiara Final at Bathurst earlier this year.

Higgs feels his Shadow Play x Modern Babe filly is good enough to win at Group 1 level, but given the speed of the finals she will need a good barrier draw to do it.

"It's mind boggling the times they are running. We used to look at the American horses when I was young and they'd be running 54s and 55s and we'd think 'Wow', but we're running that now, a maiden at Bathurst runs 58, 57 - it's just crazy," he said.

"For sure I hope she can win one, I think her turn will come, but in these races you've got to draw good and then you've got to have the luck.

"Most of the times it comes back to the barrier, reverse me and Madrid, and I'm not knocking her, she's a really nice horse, but I reckon we beat her."

While Silk Cloud was the best placed of the Bathurst chances in the Group 1 finals, there were still some other handy performances.

Mitch Turnbull drove $151 rank outsider Allstarzzz Frankie to fourth in the two-year-old colts and geldings final, while in the three-year-old fillies decider Jason Hewitt guided Ballerini to fourth at the same odds.

Bernie Hewitt finished in the placings in the three-year-old colts and geldings finale with Kashed Up ($7.50) running third.

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