Jumps racing scrapped

Racing Victoria's board has announced it has made the 'extremely tough decision' that after next year jumps racing will be banned in Victoria.

After six previous reviews between 1991 and last year Racing Victoria Limited completed another review of the sport following the 2009 season and after careful examination its board has decided it 'is in the interests of racing' to put an end to jumps racing.

"This has been an extremely tough decision for the board," said RVL chairman Michael Duffy.

"The RVL board is duty-bound to always act in the best interests of the long term sustainability of Victorian thoroughbred racing and to protect the industry's image and reputation within the broader community."

"After careful consideration, it is the RVL board's view that there is an inevitability about the long-term future of jumps racing and consequently, it is in the interests of all to provide some certainty and an appropriate transition to a Victorian racing industry without jumps racing."

"The board could not allow jumps racing to wither on the vine or worse still, become the victim of an immediate knee-jerk ban at some future point in time."

"Despite the implementation of all of the safety recommendations of the Jones Report conducted in 2008, the incidence of falls and fatalities has continued to increase."

"The recommendations of six previous reviews had been implemented without any sustained reduction in incident rates."

RVL's announcement also outlined its decision to introduce a program of heavyweight races for 2011 as trainers, jockeys and horses adapt to the abolition of jumps racing, as well as its commitment of $1 million to a transition and marketing fund to ensure the future of the Warrnambool May Carnival.

"Over the coming months RVL will be working closely with the participants and clubs impacted by the decision to ensure an effective and smooth transition," Duffy added.

"The safety of riders and horses in all forms of racing is of paramount importance and we will continue to do whatever is reasonably practicable to make jumps racing less hazardous during its final year in 2010."

The board's decision was also based on recent findings that included:

- all key statistics for jumps racing have been declining over the past five years;
- falls in jumps racing increased from 3.02 percent in 2008 to 5.08 percent of total starters in 2009;
- fatalities increased from 1.17 percent of starters to 1.27 percent (with eight fatalities in races);
- total falls increased despite 41 (33 percent) fewer races being run during the 2009 season;
- in 2009, jumps racing received 2.2 percent of total prizemoney, represented two percent of the total races and produced 0.78 percent of total wagering;
- key statistics and the design of obstacles in other jurisdictions were considered (UK, South Australia, Japan and New Zealand). The results of this work did not definitively identify a preferred alternative obstacle for use in Victoria;
- customer research revealed that 65 percent of Victorians surveyed believed that the incidents that occur in jumps racing are not an acceptable price to pay for the retention of the sport; and
- the popularity of jumps racing amongst owners, trainers, punters and the general public has diminished over the past five years.

Next year's jumps racing program will be finalised next month with the schedule of heavyweight races for 2011 to be completed in January next year and transition programs for the 31 jumps jockeys and trainers and stable staff to also be finalised in the first quarter of 2010.

The $1m program commitment to Warrnambool's famous carnival will be established along with the town's racing club while other racing clubs that currently conduct jumps racing will be assisted on a club-by-club basis next year.