Horse trainer Chris Waller said that "just as much importance should be placed on upgrading training tracks and racecourse facilities -- not just increasing prizemoney" -- if an extra A$100M ($82M) is injected into the NSW industry courtesy of tax cuts, according to Christian Nicolussi of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. Waller joined Opposition Leader Luke Foley at Rosehill on Tuesday where he "reiterated Labor's election promise to bring NSW’s racing tax rate into line with Victoria." Tax parity would "prove a windfall for NSW, create 2,000 extra jobs, and allow Racing NSW to press ahead" with its strategic plan, including raising Saturday city prizemoney to a minimum A$100,000. Waller "welcomed any extra prizemoney." He said, "But we also need money on training tracks and facilities. Training tracks are very important, and while getting a Group 1 horse is one thing, maintaining them is another thing. We don’t want just A$20,000 on top of prizemoney, we want 20,000 on seats. It can be done by having the right facilities, and not just a plush restaurant. I'm talking (improving) public areas, facilities ... we need to create an environment where people want to come to the races" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 1/13).
