Questioning over finances for Budget 2018 turned to jokes about "good-looking horses" in parliament today, with Minister for Racing Winston Peters getting on board, asking for clarification on the government's position on bloodstock funding.

National's finance spokesperson Amy Adams asked Minister of Finance Grant Robertson today, "Does he stand by his statement, 'It's a perfect Budget, I knew it was?'".

Mr Robertson delivered his Budget 2018 speech last Thursday.

"In keeping with my well-deserved reputation for modesty, I made that comment in jest at the end of my post-Budget speech on Friday when there were no questions from the audience, indicating that all 600 of them were happy with the Budget," Mr Robertson said.

Ms Adams replied: "If that comment was in jest, were the tax deductions only available to good looking horses also a joke?"

Budget 2018 allowed for $4.8 million over four years for tax deductions for costs of high-quality horses intended for breeding.

"Absoultely not," Mr Robertson said.

Winston Peters then quipped up, saying, "now that the subject has been raised by the opposition, is it the government's intention in its bloodstock policy with respect to races, to pay the money out to horses that can look good, or run fast?"