Many trainers are already either meeting or exceeding such payments to their grooms, but this will now be facilitated formally through the Racing Operators’ central stakes administration system.

The idea is that this will replace the existing arrangement whereby trainers are paying their grooms a bonus when their horses earn, and thereafter recover it from the owner.

Obviously, if trainers wish to exceed the 1% bonus paid to their grooms separately, that is their choice, but the Racing Operators will ONLY facilitate payment of the 1%.

Further, the onus is on the trainers to communicate this new arrangement to their patrons.

Due to the various logistical and practical complications of making these payments directly to the individual grooms concerned, the Racing Operators will instead transfer the 1% deduction into each trainer’s special “Grooms Account” for onward dispersal by the trainers to the relevant grooms in their employ.

Every licenced trainer in South Africa has been asked to open a separate bank account for this purpose.

The new method of stakes distribution will be implemented from 1 June 2015. – Phumelela.