Originally Posted by
arlington
HRV have conditioned a lot of the paid trials for the best horses in the big stables out of the $3500 races. Kudos there.
As for the concern with $3500 races being an inadequate prize money level, agreed, but they are non penalty( R penalty only) and that is an attraction for all participants if you don't need to travel far - the attraction for the professional Melton trainers to Melton R programs/races? Maybe they charge owners reduced rates for R races?
You also need to consider what D Martin has emphasised, HRV would be stretching it, at odds with HRA policy on increasing prize money levels for R, non penalty racing.
I would think, or would like to think, the recent announcement of the $1000 bonus for $5000 C races has been funded by the R races and not directed to funding feature races.
That $5000 tier is a big problem being a C penalty. Whether there could be more R, conditioned heats, leading to $7000 finals?