Birdsville set for first meeting this weekend

Thanks to assorted disruptions over the past couple of years, including COVID-19, Birdsville's famed bush meeting has been on the backburner.

But to make up for lost opportunity Birdsville will stage two Cup cards in 2022 with events this month and another in September.

Officials, keen to lure starters to both carnivals, will offer a raft of incentives, the best of which will be a bonus of up to $15,000 for any trainer winning the April and September editions of the TAB Birdsville Cup.

In an interview with Racing Queensland, Birdsville RC vice-president Gary Brook said the bonuses, which also include travel rebates for trainers and jockeys, were sensible moves.

ALSO IN THE NEWS:

"A lot of trainers, and I'm including some of country Queensland's best in this, would have to race horses for 12 months to collect the sort of dollars in winning percentages to pick up what we're now offering at Birdsville this year," he told RQ.

"We're celebrating a history-making two events in 2022 and we want to recognise and reward those who contribute to making our event such a great success.

"We're the most remote race track in Australia, so given what's happening with rising fuel costs the club has also made the decision to offer all our trainers and jockeys an additional one-off travel rebate to offset the increased cost of fuel."

As well, a special $2000 bonus will be available to any trainer preparing a double at the April carnival and an additional $2000 bonus will be paid if a trainer wins both April feature, the $25,000 Lyndhurst Stud Open Handicap on April 10 and the $42,000 TAB Birdsville Cup the next day.

The club will also offer a $300 one-off fuel rebate to each trainer participating in the April event plus $120 per horse, $100 one-off fuel rebate to each jockey in addition to the already announced $250 travel rebate, $1000 to the winning trainer based on most wins over the two day carnival and $500 to the winning jockey based on most wins over the two day April carnival.

Racing is on Sunday and Monday.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? Send letters to the editor or story tips to nwseditorial@austcommunitymedia.com.au