Racing: ARC weathers fiscal storm well

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he Government-inflated stakes bubble may have burst but Ellerslie bosses are confident their stakes have weathered the economic storm.

After three years of $2.2 million Telecom Derbys, boosted by government funding targeted to spur economic growth around major racing carnivals, racing clubs have been left to fend for themselves.

And it appears the Auckland Racing Club is going to fare better than most.

New Zealand's biggest club announced its classic stakes yesterday, with the Telecom Derby at $750,000 and the Stella Artois Auckland Cup at $500,000.

Along with the Karaka Million - at, you guessed it, $1 million - the ARC will hold the remaining six group twos at the Christmas carnival at $100,000 and the Darley Plate during Cup week at $100,000.

That demonstrates a sense of fiscal awareness from the club's board, who could have gone for the ego play of the Derby at $1 million and done plenty of chest-beating before reducing stakes further down the chain.

As it is, the ARC will offer stakes for its biggest races $645,000 above NZ Thoroughbred Racing's minimum guidelines.

The drop in Derby stake is unlikely to affect Ellerslie's greatest race too much, with few Australian visitors having made the trip across the Tasman, even when it was at $2.2 million, and the trainers of most local staying three-year-olds still preferring the March date to the early season staying goal of the VRC Derby.

By maintaining its other group races above the minimum required, the ARC is offering owners a better spread, which is something they hope to expand once extra revenue streams are developed.

If the club's property plans proceed, as hoped in the next few years, they will have far greater financial flexibility and an overall boost in stakes is expected.

"But for now we are very happy to have so many stakes above the minimum required for their grade and a depth of elite racing options at our carnivals," said chief executive Chris Weaver.

If you are at Ellerslie on Saturday you won't need to back Jimmy Choux to be a winner should the Kiwi hero win the Cox Plate.

The ARC will shout all patrons a drink should Jimmy Choux salute in the feature, which will be run just after their meeting on Saturday finishes.

"Jimmy is, after all, our reigning Telecom Derby champion and a Kiwi galloping great so if he wins at Moonee Valley we will be as proud as anybody," said Weaver.

With Saturday's meeting falling between Friday night's bronze final at Eden Park and Sunday's giant game, Ellerslie are hoping to attract rugby fans on the rest day.