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By Colin Hodges

The latest rise in prizemoney for country racing continues the phenomenal growth in returns, particularly over the last decade.

From 1970 onwards the rate of increases was relatively slow moving unlike more recently with city trainers becoming more frequent on country tracks and country trainers taking on bigger numbers as the prizemoney gets significantly better.

Very well known in racing are the Molloy families from Forbes and Cowra and their returns over the years from success in the Forbes Cup are interesting to note.

Cowra trainer Bill Molloy, now retired, won the 1978 Forbes Cup with Prince Arcadus ridden by Reg Paine and owned by Len Twigg with first prizemoney being $400.

In the late 1980s, the Forbes Cup was worth about $3,000 to the winner and was won by Gold Fallacy trained at Forbes by Barry Molloy, the uncle of Bill Molloy.

One Aye (Quayde Krogh) wins the Forbes Cup. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

Andrew Molloy, the son of Bill Molloy, had received his trainers licence shortly before the 1999 Forbes Cup which he won with Flabbergasted, first prizemoney being $6,500.

Fast forward to July 2022 and the Forbes Cup won by the Barbara Joseph & Jones brothers, Sapphire Coast-trained One Aye carried prizemoney of $50,000 overall and $22,000 to the winner.

Even when the purchasing power of the dollar over long spans of time is taken in to account, the real increase in prizemoney is more than substantial.

The $400 won by Prince Arcadus in the 1978 Forbes Cup was about equivalent to 4 weeks pay on the minimum wage, while the $22,000 won by One Aye in the 2022 Forbes Cup is about equivalent to 24 weeks pay on the minimum wage.

On the Sydney scene in relation to the above story, Tom Molloy, cousin of Barry Molloy, rode Le Toff, winner of the Corinthian Handicap at Randwick in 1969, the first race following the opening of the new Queen Elizabeth II Stand.

Owned and trained by Harry Sutherland and Bill Molloy snr from Cowra , the race was worth $1860 to the winner (midweek races in Sydney now have a minimum $55,000 total prizemoney).

Back on the central west scene and the Dubbo Cup In 1989 was was worth $10,000 and next Sunday $100,000 is on offer for the Dubbo Gold Cup.

Surfacing recently was a report regarding the 1974/1975 season in the Western Districts Racing Association ( WDRA ). Head office was located at Orange and the secretary was Tony King who had a long and highly successful career as an administrator in both the country and city (Australian Jockey Club).

Following are the 1974/1975 premiership winners and placegetters together with the total prizemoney won by their mounts:

Jockeys
Ray (Spike) Jones - 42 wins and $25,460
Merv Singho - 36 wins and $21,584
Keith Ashton - 28 wins and $16,375

This was the 10th premiership won by Ray Jones and it is worth noting the $25,460 won by his 42 winners (and placegetters) is about the same for a single race this month at a normal country TAB meeting.

Apprentices
Kim Dougherty - 29 wins and $18,450
David Stanley - 20 wins and $12,850
Michael Marks -14 wins and $6,955

Leading Sire
Basalt - 24 wins and $11,485

Bookmakers' holdings for 105 meetings amounted to more than $8 million.

NOTE: The Collarenebri Cup meeting is this Saturday (10th September) and with the Dubbo Cup Calcutta at the Castlereagh Hotel on Saturday night followed by the Dubbo Gold Cup on Sunday (11th September).