News

Xtra Bonus payouts hit $7m on Snake Gully Cup day

13th Nov 2026

The popular Inglis Xtra Bonus reached a fresh milestone today with payouts hitting the $7m barrier.

A large volume of nominations meant that today’s Xtra Bonus race at Gundagai had to be split, with both winners eligible for an Inglis Xtra Bonus payment.

The wins of Inglis Classic graduate Essay (Zousain) and Inglis Premier graduate Southern Grace (Cool Aza Beel) this afternoon, on the Snake Gully Cup card, resulted in Richard Collett becoming the 48th individual trainer to win a bonus and Kerry Parker claiming his second.

The Xtra Bonus Series was implemented two years ago and has been won by the connections of 73 individual horses.

A total of 50 maidens Australia-wide – effectively one a week – carry the bonus per season, which sees a $100,000 bonus allocated to each race, on top of all regular race prizemoney and any State bonuses payments.

To win the bonus, a horse simply needs to be an Inglis graduate from 2023 onwards, be aged three or older, paid up for the Inglis Race Series.

The series has had an extraordinary reach in its relatively short history – more than 600 owners have now been the beneficiary of the bonus.

Southern Grace marked the second Xtra Bonus win for Proven Thoroughbreds, who bought the daughter of Cool Aza Beel for $45,000 at the 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.

“We’re absolutely delighted to get the result,” Proven Thoroughbreds’ Tom Walter said.

“We’ve found this Inglis Race Series initiative to be an inspired one and something that benefits racing as a whole, more than any other.

“It’s very important that we nurture these maidens because it’s often the most important win in the career of a horse and the first opportunity for owners to recoup their investment.

“Our owners are delighted and I’m also honoured to be responsible for hitting the $7m milestone because it’s an initiative we’ve benefitted from and we hope to for many years to come,” Walter said.

Essay’s part-owner Tim Cunneen travelled down from Manly to be trackside for the win.

“Oh the bonus is fantastic, we thought we would bring this filly down here to kick off her campaign, it’s a decent drive from Manly but it was well worth it,” Cunneen said.

“[Trainer] Richard [Collett] thought she was capable of winning over 1100m first up, he had the option of going to Canterbury in a fortnight’s time to another Xtra Bonus race but he thought the track would suit her here and as soon as she drew barrier one we knew it was the right decision.”

The next Inglis Xtra Bonus maiden will be held at Pakenham next Friday, November 20.

For the most up to date schedule of the Inglis Xtra Bonus races CLICK HERE.