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Racing NSW has today announced that prizemoney for the highly successful Highway races will be increased by 50% to $60,000 per race from $40,000.

The increased prizemoney for Highway races will commence on Saturday, 6 August 2016. The prizemoney increase maintains the position of Highway races for country participants in line with recently commenced increases in prizemoney for Country TAB racing.

“The Highway races have performed strongly since they commenced in October last year and warrant this further investment. The Highway races will now deliver $2.5 million in prizemoney annually,” said Racing NSW Chief Executive, Mr Peter V’landys AM.

The Highway races have gathered strong support over a short period drawing together progressive country gallopers on a weekly basis.

Delivering tremendously interesting and competitive racing, the Highway races provide a much-deserved opportunity for country trainers to showcase their skills and develop their profile at the key race meeting of the week in NSW.

“The most satisfying element of the Highway races to me is seeing the thrill and excitement among owners that have runners in these races,” Mr V’landys added.

“The frequency and positioning of Highway races gives punters a feel for these horses and their form.

“I’m also delighted that in the past month, three Highway race winners have progressed to win Saturday benchmark races. This must give country trainers a shot of confidence that they can be competitive in races when they come to Sydney,” Mr V’landys concluded.

News from Racing NSW

Tommy Berry will ride Rebel Dane when he resumes in the Missile Stakes on Saturday week and trainer Gary Portelli is pleased the leading jockey was aboard in a barrier trial on Monday.

Rebel Dane finished third in the trial behind Vashka and Majaska at Warwick Farm, settling off the pace and seeming to take a while to hit full speed in the concluding stages.

“It was good that Tommy has had the experience on the horse because he has lost a bit of that zip and acceleration he had when he was younger,” Portelli said.

“He is taking longer to unwind, taking a bit more riding to get to his top so I think it will be beneficial that Tommy rode him in the trial so he knows what he is dealing with on race day.”

Rebel Dane finished fourth last start in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes behind English, Black Heart Bart and Kermadec.

Portelli is keen to give Rebel Dane a gallop between races at Rosehill on Saturday, a formula he used before winning The Shorts first-up at last spring.

“Physically he is looking stronger than ever, I’ve never been happier with him,” Portelli said.

“We gave him a longer break out of the autumn last year and didn’t resume until the middle of September.

“This time around I wanted to get him in early and have him up firing before some of the big guns get back.

“After the Missile Stakes he will go to the Warwick Stakes and then we will assess the situation and look at our options from there.

“The Manikato is a race that he has performed well at in the past and it is something I’d like to take on again if we get to Melbourne.”

New from Brent Zerafa, Racing.com

Not having had a run for five weeks, gallant five-year-old mare All My Loving produced another very good effort to finish third on Tuesday at Gosford, further contributing further funds to the Breast Cancer Foundation.

With 10 per cent of her earnings going to the Breast Cancer Foundation, the Gary Portelli-trained All My Loving (Not A Single Doubt) jumped from the outside barrier in the Spar Express Benchmark 63 Handicap over 2100m at Gosford.

Pulled back by jockey Grant Buckley to settle in second last position, Statue Of Liberty gelding Slade Amigos had the lead narrowly from Anthony Cumming’s Maven Wiz in second.

A mid-race move saw Wedding Kiss to come from third last to race around the field to sit outside the leader, the pace appeared to quicken as All My Loving found herself in second last position, many lengths from the leader.

At the 800m mark, the runs started to come and Maven Wiz came off the back of Wedding Kiss to commence his run, as did Rightoncue and Baroque Girl, while Buckley and All My Loving didn’t have a lot of options just yet but to follows these runners forward.

Tye Angland urged Maven Wiz to the lead just before the turn after fighting off Slade Amigos to his inside, while Baroque Girl and All My Loving were starting to make ground.

The widest into the final turn, All My Loving looked to slightly struggle but just needed time to balance up once into the straight and once she did, worked home very well to finish in third, just under three lengths from the winner.

With 27 top five placed performances from her 35 starts, the Laurel Oak Rose (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Jalana (Mgr: D Gremmo), A N Fitzgerald, L J Carpenter, Mrs K A Carpenter, Ms K L Benson, Mrs S L Grant, S James, S E Johnston, Mrs P Hunter-Knight, Mrs J C McAuliffe, Mrs V Racovalis, Ms A Kung, Mrs C A Mathieson, Mrs R C Fitzgerald, G M Fitzgerald and L A Brennan-owned mare has been a favourite of the team, not only for her honesty and consistency, but for the funds she has been able to contribute to such a worthy cause.

Ending his previous campaign with a third behind Southern Legend at Rosehill, with that winner going on to claim a stakes race during The Championships, the Gary Portelli-trained Wide Acclaim resumed on Saturday at Rosehill.

Settling last after being slightly slowly away from the outside barrier, For Me Dad went to the early lead and ensured some good speed upfront, with the leading filly chasing four consecutive wins.

Running in second was the talented Matt Dale-trained Bitburg, while race favourite Speith was traveling in third last position on the rail.

Charging into the final bend, Wide Acclaim was still towards the tail of the field but jockey Samantha Clenton was urging the son of Congrats to the outside to make up some ground.

With the Arrowfield silks aboard King’s Troop getting up along the rail, favourite Spieth was still searching for some room, but when it presented itself, the talented son of Thorn Park charged to the line to record a very nice win.

While yet to record black type, the connections of Spieth obviously feel the colt has plenty of potential as evident by his start in the Group 2 Arrowfield 3yo Sprint during The Championships, where he finished down the track behind Group 1 performers Japonisme and Counterattack.

Although beaten into fourth position, the run of “Harry” was very good and what further highlights this is that only two horses on the day where able to break 36 secs for their final 400m sectional – those two being the winner Spieth and Wide Acclaim, with our boy recording 32.9. – click here to veie race.

We are really looking forward to Wide Acclaim stepping out next start and with plenty of BOBS prizemoney opportunities over the coming months, fingers crossed we can play a part in that also!

Having his third start for new trainer Darren Weir, four-year-old Shamardal entire Better Land produced the goods in the final race of the day at Sportsbet Ballarat on Wednesday, taking the prize in the Hygain Benchmark 70 Handicap (1400m).

A length and a half third at his most recent run behind Edgewood and Decoupez on a Heavy 10 surface over the 1400m at Warrnambool, jockey Brad Rawiller eased Better Land from an outside gate, settling with only one behind him.

Racing slightly ungenerously in parts, Rawiller let Better Land slide forward a while before home turn, but still had many lengths to make up.

As Elite Tiger and Corporate Takeover cornered into the home straight in front, Better Land was the widest runner of the field, but was starting to make up ground.

Starting the short-priced favourite in the 10 horse field, Better Land knuckled down to chase Elite Tiger who had now skipped a few lengths clear.

Charging really strongly to the leader, Better Land took the win by a nose, and although narrowly, it was great to see another win on the board for fellow owners; R A Pegum, Laurel Oak Shamrock (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Ramsey Pastoral Company Pty Ltd (Mgr: S B Ramsey), D J Tamblyn, R S Willis, Mrs J M Tamblyn, D J Tamblyn, R V 8 (Mgr: R V Dulhunty), M R Tudehope, B N E Hastie, M J Forsdick, A N Fitzgerald, Rdfit Pty Ltd (Mgr: S C Cook) and A W Reichard.

Click above image to view Better Land’s victory

Having showed immense talent early on as evident by his three length debut win and his stakes performance behind Scissor Kick in the Listed The Rosebud and the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes, Better Land has been somewhat of an enigma, but now that he has broken through for another win, fingers crossed that he continues on with it.