All participants will benefit from a $24 million increase in NSW prizemoney to be distributed among metropolitan, provincial and country areas.

On top of that, country-trained horses in the state can also compete for their own version of The Everest with a $1.3 million race on the same day in October to be called The Kosciuszko.

“These announcements from Racing NSW further enhance the incentive to race a horse in country NSW,” Dowell said.

“It establishes new and exciting goals for NSW racing participants.

“The initiatives, including increased prizemoney, improve the affordability for those who not only already own a horse but those who are considering becoming a racing participant as a horse owner.

“This can only help country trainers, who sometimes experience difficult times in terms of cash flow in their business, too.”

Racing NSW consulted widely on its new Strategic Plan and gave careful consideration to the matters raised by industry participants.

Accordingly, the integral objectives of the plan are defraying the costs of owners, enabling trainers to improve their cash flow and business viability as well as providing a stimulus for improving field sizes, especially for metropolitan and provincial racing.

As a major step in meeting these objectives, Racing NSW chairman Russell Balding AO announced a broad range of prizemoney increases to take effect from September 1, 2018, with prizemoney to swell by more than $24 million annually.

“We are delighted to be able to deliver these significant increases in prizemoney across all three sectors coinciding with the start of the spring,” he said.

From September, minimum prizemoney for Saturday metropolitan races will increase by $25,000 to $125,000 per race, while country TAB fixtures rise to $22,000 from $20,000.

Meanwhile, the 1200m The Kosciuszko, on the support program for the $13 million Everest at Randwick on October 13, is an expansion of the Anniversary Highway held for the first time last year.

The Highway handicaps for country-trained horses at Saturday metropolitan meetings have been a success story for NSW.

“The race is a great way to showcase NSW country-trained horses, giving them the chance to compete at one of Australia’s biggest days of racing,” Minister for Racing Paul Toole said.

“I congratulate Racing NSW on this exciting new initiative to support regional NSW racing, which plays such a vital role in cities and towns across the state.

“With the recent success of The Everest and The Championships, the NSW racing industry continues to go from strength-to-strength.”

Metropolitan Saturdays: $100,000 to $125,000; 25 per cent increase

Metropolitan Midweek: $40,000 to $50,000; 25 per cent

Metropolitan Public Holiday: $50,000 to $60,000; 20 per cent

TAB Highways: $60,000 to $75,000; 25 per cent

Provincial: $30,000 to $35,000; 16.7 per cent

Country TAB: $20,000 to $22,000; 10 per cent

Group Three: $150,000 to $160,000

Listed Races: $125,000 to $140,000