Canberra trainer Nick Olive eyes Country Cups with Pecuniary Interest

Pecuniary Interest has hit form as the distances have risen, taking out benchmark 58 (2000 metres) at Queanbeyan Racecourse.

With Ellen Hennessy on the mount, the staying galloper was last out on the straight before rounding them up out wide to beat the Natalie Jarvis-trained Instruments by 0.28 lengths.

The three-year-old won his maiden in Wagga Wagga just last month, before claiming another win on the Sapphire Coast and an unlucky fifth place in Albury.

"He looks like a promising horse, it's his first preparation and has won three of his past four races," Olive said.

"Once he's got up over a longer distance, he's gone very well. He should have on the other one he got beat in too, he's done a great job."

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Olive will send Pecuniary Interest to the paddock for six to eight weeks, having raced consistently since his racing debut in January.

"I think he'll come back bigger and stronger," Olive said.

"He's only a young horse so I think he'll improve next time and he could develop into a nice Country Cup horse."

Monday's meet at Queanbeyan was the last before Racing NSW implements a reduction on prizemoney due to the COVID-19-induced financial crisis.

The reductions will apply after Saturday's Queen Elizabeth Stakes day at Royl Randwick and continue until June 30.

The minimum prizemoney for country meetings, like Queanbeyan, will be reduced from $22,000 to $20,000.

"We're very happy we're able to still race and the 10 percent reduction of our prizemoney is understandable and quite bearable," Queanbeyan Racecourse boss Brendan Comyn said.

"It makes us the same prizemoney as what Canberra is, and they have not announced any drop in their prizemoney yet."

Canberra Racing have not made reductions on their prizemoney levels, but might need to do so if revenue drops in the future.

Olive is concerned about how the general economy is going to affect the industry, rather than the reduction of prizemoney.

His stable have had to cut down their casual staff's shifts because there are less horses in work.

"It's just uncertain times for everyone and with their budgets and so-forth at the moment, there's probably been no growth in the industry for us," Olive said.

"We normally have new horses coming in and that has sort of ceased at the moment.

"It's definitely going to be challenging over the next six months to a year, but we understand there's a lot of people who are in similar or worse conditions than us."

Olive nominated Sizzling Belle for a benchmark 74 (1200 metres) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, but will scratch the mare after she drew barrier 18.

She'll likely race at Moruya on Sunday for their showcase meeting instead.

"We're looking forward to getting her back to the races," Olive said.

"I think she'll improve on the first up run and keep improving from there."