Racing Victoria

by TTR AusNZ The Herald Sun has reported that Racing Victoria's most senior veterinary officer, Dr Grace Forbes, has lodged a formal "Application for an order to stop bullying" with the Fair Work Commission, alleging she was "pressured and coerced" into clearing international horses considered at "high risk of catastrophic injury" to race. According to the Herald Sun, Dr Forbes, Racing Victoria's general manager of veterinary services since 2014 - alleges that senior executives, including chief executive Aaron Morrison and integrity boss Jamie Stier, urged her to be "flexible" in...

The 2026 G1 WS Cox Plate will be held at Flemington while Moonee Valley undergoes renovation, according to a joint release by Racing Victoria and the Moonee Valley Racing Club on Wednesday. "We believe that Flemington is the best location to maximise attendance, wagering and engagement with the meeting and we have confidence in the VRC's ability to present a high-quality track for Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day and the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival that follows," said RV CEO Aaron Morrison. "We thank the MVRC for their work in exploring various...

On Monday, Racing Victoria announced changes to the original 2021 veterinary protocols for horses competing at the Spring Carnival. "The protocols have served to arrest an alarming trend and been a catalyst for the last four Spring Racing Carnivals and Melbourne Cups being conducted without serious injuries," said Racing Victoria CEO Aaron Morrison. "After each Carnival the protocols are evaluated to consider their application, ongoing suitability and any potential enhancements based on stakeholder feedback, our learnings, data and new technology. What remains unchanged is that every international horse will have...

Racing Victoria will not compromise on the welfare of horses for the G1 Melbourne Cup after there was plenty of publicity about the scratching of Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), they announced on Wednesday. "I don't think the reaction's necessarily surprising," EGM - Integrity Jamie Stier told racing.com. "When the protocols were implemented, it was understood that not everyone was in agreement and was made known that they were not in agreement. And that is as it is, but the protocols were put in place to mitigate any risks that...

Aidan O'Brien's Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has been ruled out of the G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup after failing a pre-race veterinary check. The unbeaten St Leger winner had been among the ante-post favourites in his quest to provide O'Brien with a first victory in 'the race that stops a nation' at Flemington next week, but Ballydoyle will now be without a runner in the race as a result of the ruling made by the Racing Victoria Stewards. A statement from Racing Victoria said, "Racing Victoria Stewards, acting on specialist...

The Joseph O'Brien-trained Valiant King (GB) (Roaring Lion) will not take part in the G1 Melbourne Cup on Nov. 7, and has instead been sent for a spell after suffering a setback, co-owner Ozzie Kheir confirmed on Friday. The grey was most recently sixth in the G1 Caulfield Cup and was found to be lame in his left front leg earlier this week after a Racing Victoria vet inspection. ''After this morning's RV inspections where Valiant King was found to be mildly lame post his work, we had our own...

By Trent Masenhelder, TDNAus/NZ The racing community is in mourning following the tragic news that much-loved jockey Dean Holland passed away on Monday. The 34-year-old was involved in a fall during the opening race at Donald in country Victoria on Monday and died later that day. Holland fell when his mount, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Headingley (Aus), who was racing in second place, clipped the heels of the leader Kumicho (Aus) as the runners turned for home in Race 1. Fellow jockey Alana Kelly was dislodged from her mount...

Racing Victoria (RV) announced that the core safety standards for horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival will remain in place in 2023 with a focus on further enhancing administrative processes for their connections. Introduced in 2021, the world leading safety standards are part of Victorian racing's effort to minimise the risk of injuries, particularly among international horses travelling to compete in Victoria and for all horses contesting the Melbourne Cup. The safety standards are reviewed regularly and in determining this year's veterinary protocols, RV conducted a review of their...

The seventh edition of the International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) will be held alongside the 39th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) in Melbourne, Australia from Feb. 14-19, 2023. IFAR and ARC will be hosted by the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) and Racing Victoria. Besides an aftercare facility visit, IFAR will also host panels with speakers from around the world on such topics as new models for industry cooperation; training for success on and off the track; practical tools to screen for temperament and the importance of transition training;...

The Business Programme topics for the 38th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) were announced on Tuesday. Scheduled from Feb. 14-19 and hosted by Racing Victoria in Melbourne, the ARC will offer an expansive range of themes and topics including: the changing racing and wagering landscape of today; engaging with fans amidst evolving consumer habits; the critical role of the owner and their modern needs and expectations; the importance of welfare for racing's athletes and participants; sustainability and climate change; technological disruptors and what they mean for racing and other sports; the...

For the first time, prize-money in Victoria, Australia will be above A$300 million, as the 2022-2023 racing schedule was released on Tuesday by Racing Victoria. The season will feature 554 race meetings beginning on Aug. 1, with total prize-money and bonuses on offer equaling A$314 million. This increase brings the average prize-money and bonuses on offer per race in the state to a nation-leading figure of over A$72,600. Totaling A$26.2 million, the prize-money boost includes more than A$11 million in additional funding for minimum prize-money and over A$7 million of...

International horses flying to Australia for the Melbourne Spring Carnival will no longer be required to take part in a scintigraphy exam prior to flying to Australia, Racing Victoria announced on Wednesday. The stringent scans were started last year in an attempt to reduce the rate of injuries and fatalities. These tests were required to be paid for by the horses' owners, and led to fewer internationals participating at the iconic carnival. Racing Victoria's statement read as follows: "Upon recommendation of the international working group, the RV Board has endorsed...