WA Harness Racing Stakes and Funding Increases

A rise in base stakes at all levels of harness racing is a key feature of Racing and Wagering Western Australia’s funding announcement for the new racing season.
RWWA is injecting $1.4 million into stakes and breeding bonuses across the harness code for the new season.
Harness funding 2023-24 key initiatives:
• $0.75 million incremental stakes increase across all levels of racing, including the introduction a new $100,000 Westbred 4YO race.
• $0.74 million full year effect of Westbred bonus increases and first start bonus (implemented from 1 January 2023).
• 2.5 per cent increase to club funding to recognise increased costs.
The boost in prize money is crucial to improving the viability of participating in WA harness racing and therefore strengthening ownership and involvement.
The aim of the stakes strategy is to improve the return on investment to harness owners and trainers, and ultimately retain investors in the industry.
The base stakes increases factor in the deduction of one per cent of advertised stakes being assigned to equine welfare initiatives. Feature stakes will include a deduction of one per cent in the stakes percentage break-up.
An area of focus for the harness industry is improving the conversion rates of locally bred horses to make it to the racetrack. To support this, RWWA is increasing the bonus levels in the Westbred scheme from FY24.
This year’s funding across all three codes will be the largest ever provided by RWWA in its 20-year history, at $215 million.
Despite the economic headwinds we are currently facing and the commercial pressures facing the harness code, RWWA has remained committed to providing the funding increases that were announced in 2022.