The Victoria Racing Club and Racing Victoria will offer an increased prize pool for the champion trainer and jockey at next week's Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The JB Cummings Leading Trainer Award is named in honour of the Cups King, Bart Cummings and acknowledges the outstanding performance of the trainer who has accrued the most number of points over the four days of the 2019 Melbourne Cup Carnival.
This year the winner will receive a $50,000 cash prize of which $40,000 will go to the trainer and $10,000 to stable staff of the winning trainer.
For jockeys, a $50,000 cash prize will be awarded to the winner of the Ron Hutchinson Leading Jockey Award for the rider who accrues the most number of points during the 2019 Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The Lindsay Park team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig took home the JB Cummings Award last year while James McDonald was awarded the Ron Hutchinson prize.
VRC Executive General Manager Racing Leigh Jordon said it was great to reward stable staff for their work.
"The VRC is proud to recognise the feats of trainers and jockeys who work year-round to prepare for the biggest week of racing," Mr Jordon said.
"We are particularly pleased to offer $10,000 to the staff of the trainer who wins the JB Cummings Award, as we all know the stable staff work just as hard as trainers and jockeys in preparing for the Melbourne Cup Carnival."
Points for the JB Cummings Award and the Ron Hutchinson Leading Jockey Award are allocated per race on a 3-2-1 basis for horses who finish first, second and third during all races of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and the $100,000 total prize pool is jointly funded by the VRC and RV.
For the first time, TAB customers will be able to wager on the outcome of the JB Cummings Leading Trainer Award.
TAB will also continue to offer a market on the outcome of the Ron Hutchinson Leading Jockey Award.
AAMI Victoria Derby Day also marks the final opportunity for jockeys to cash in on the Star of the Saddle Bonus, where $100,000 will be awarded to the rider or riders that accrue the most points on AAMI Victoria Derby Day at Flemington.
