Owner News & TROA Media Releases

Victoria’s three most famous races – the Lexus Melbourne Cup, Ladbrokes Cox Plate and Stella Artois Caulfield Cup – will carry record prizemoney this Spring Racing Carnival and the state’s 67 Country Cups will each receive a boost as part of widespread prizemoney increases announced today for the 2018-19 racing season. Racing Victoria (RV) was joined by the Victoria Racing Club (VRC), Melbourne Racing Club (MRC), Moonee Valley Racing Club (MVRC) and Country Racing Victoria (CRV) in announcing a $12.4 million injection into prizemoney across the state from 1 August 2018.

Racing Australia is introducing new reforms commencing 1 August 2017. First announced in November 2016, these measures are known as the Trainer and Owner Reforms (TOR) and have been incorporated into the Australian Rules of Racing. TOR Rules  The reforms will operate pursuant to the TOR Rules, which are part of the Rules of Racing. As you are a person bound by, and subject to, the Rules of Racing, you will also be required to comply with the TOR Rules - they are mandatory.

Record prizemoney will be on offer in Victoria for the 2017-18 racing season after Racing Victoria (RV) today announced a $15.5 million increase with effect from 1 August 2017. All owners, trainers and jockeys will get the chance to share in the increases which are spread from prestigious Group 1 races to once-a-year picnic race meetings throughout country Victoria. For the first time, more than $200 million in prizemoney and bonuses will be on offer in Victoria with a total of $214 million up for grabs throughout next season.

The 2017 TAB Warrnambool May Carnival on Tuesday 2 May, Wednesday 3 May and Thursday 4 May is the largest regional racing carnival of the season. During the 2016 Carnival there were 2402 Owners and their guests who attended to see their horse race. As such, to accommodate this incredible Owner attendance, TROA with the Warrnambool Racing Club is offering special hospitality to owners in an exclusive marquee funded by TROA.

TROA is delighted to support the third annual Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday at Caulfield on Saturday 22 April 2017. In a day where Owners and Breeders will be rewarded for their support of Victorian Racing with over $1.6 million in VOBIS prizemoney and bonuses on offer. TROA are proud to sponsor the 2017 running of the VOBIS Gold Heath, a race for VOBIS Gold qualified horses, three-years-old and upwards at set weights over 2000 metres.

Owners and breeders will be rewarded for their support of Victorian racing this Saturday with over $1.6 million in VOBIS prizemoney and bonuses on offer at Caulfield Racecourse. The third annual Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday will offer lucrative rewards for those who choose to buy, breed, own and race Victorian thoroughbreds, while showcasing the talent produced by the state’s burgeoning breeding industry.

Racing Victoria (RV) and the Australian Jockey’s Association (AJA) are pleased to announce the commencement of Ride Guide – an innovative digital content initiative where jockeys film and present a preview of their upcoming race rides. The AJA-led concept has earned the collective support of RV and industry stakeholders following significant consultation and consideration of industry feedback. A three-month trial will be launched to the public this Saturday, 22 April, 2017 and be available on Victorian Saturday metropolitan meetings.

Racing Victoria (RV) advises that the Members of RV have met today and unanimously approved special resolutions to amend the RV Constitution. The special resolutions relate to a reform of the RV Board Director appointment process in line with the proposed amendments announced by the Minister for Racing, The Hon. Martin Pakula MP, in December 2016.

Racing Victoria (RV) has today released its 2017-18 Race Dates which will see the number of race-free days increase from two to 12 and a return to traditional timeslots for several Spring Racing Carnival feature meetings. The 12-month schedule of meetings - which takes in the period from 1 August, 2017 to 31 July, 2018 – has been approved by the RV Board following extensive consultation with the Racing Clubs and stakeholders. It will see Victoria host 557 race meetings over 353 days.

Bendigo is home to the Golden Mile Race Day, Saturday 1st April 2017, which dominates Victoria’s sporting calendar as one of its premier events, with prize money exceeding $1 million. TROA are proud to announce our continued partnership with Golden Mile Raceday in it’s fifth year. World-class racing, entertainment, leafy bushland surrounds, fine dining, fashion and more make the Golden Mile Race Day an unforgettable experience for racehorse owners, in particular those lucky enough to have a horse competing for the $1 million in prizemoney on offer.

Racing Victoria will commence paying an additional $3 million in prizemoney from tomorrow as part of an industry pledge to reward owners, trainers and jockeys following a successful 2016 Spring Racing Carnival. The $3 million commitment, which was announced in December, will see the value of more than 180 metropolitan races increase to a minimum of $100,000 across the course of the year. The $100,000 minimum stake will apply to all 2YO, 3YO and Open Handicap races at Saturday metropolitan meetings, commencing with the Chairman's Stakes meeting at Caulfield tomorrow.

Racing Victoria (RV) today announced that $5 million in additional funding will be distributed across the industry as a result of a successful Spring Racing Carnival. The RV Board determined at its meeting yesterday that an additional $3 million would be added to the annual prizemoney pool rewarding owners, trainers and jockeys, while $2 million will be shared among Victoria’s three metropolitan clubs and Country Racing Victoria (CRV).

Victorian racehorse Owners and Trainers have strongly condemned the delay by Racing Victoria(RVL) in matching recent prizemoney increases in NSW, where prizemoney for standard Saturday races was raised to $100,000 per race and to $30,000 for standard races at Provincial tracks. Victorian Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association(TROA) Chairman Jonathan Munz commented as follows:

Racing Victoria (RV) is pleased to demonstrate its formal commitment to the welfare of thoroughbred racehorses before, during and after racing through the release today of its Equine Welfare Strategy. The Strategy details RV’s aims over the next 18 months with 10 key initiatives outlined including the development of a Welfare Advisory Panel, compulsory online education modules for participants, a world leading research program and an expansion of RV’s Off the Track program.

Racing Victoria (RV) advises that this year’s round of RV Director appointments has been completed. Current RV Director, Prue Hayes, has been re-appointed, while Michael Andrew AO and Alice Williams will join the Board with their three-year appointments commencing at the conclusion of the 2016 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 24 October.

Owning a share in a racehorse gives you the chance to get up-close and personal with the icons of the sport, to talk tactics, plan strategies and help define the career of your champion racehorse. This Spring Racing Carnival, the Victorian Racehorse Owners' Gold Card remains your golden ticket to the inner sanctum of Victorian racing. When your horse is racing, the Victorian Owners' Gold Card provides a number of exciting raceday privileges, including admission and members’ passes to the track, complimentary racebooks, mounting yard access and free parking.

Congratulations to Rupert and Cheryl Legh who were presented the TROA Metropolitan Owner of the Year Award at the Scobie Breasley Medal Dinner on Thursday night 25 August at the Atrium at Flemington Racecourse. Rupert and Cheryl secured two Group 1 wins in Victoria, both courtesy of champion sprinter Chautauqua in the Manikato Stakes and the Black Caviar Lightning. The Leghs also enjoyed black-type success with the Team Hawkes-trained Headwater and Mike Moroney’s Tivaci.

Summary: Racing Australia believes that it is necessary for integrity and animal welfare purposes that Unnamed Horses and their owners be identified and subject to the Australian Rules of Racing. Traceability is the cornerstone of integrity and will also underpin the industry’s drive on animal welfare standards. The fact that significant numbers of Unnamed Thoroughbreds are not regulated by any authority is unacceptable to prevailing community standards.

Munz, slammed the proposed "Ride Guide" horse tipping service. "The Jockeys have in the past moaned about lack of consultation from Racing Authorities on various issues but then they go and pull this stuff without consulting with owners, who generally support and try to work with them. It's very disappointing." "TROA supports the position taken by the RVL Stewards in opposing this concept and I note that this is also the view of the Australian Trainers Association".

The Racing Australia Board met last Friday (8 April) and resolved to introduce further reforms to the integrity, animal welfare and business practices of the Australian Thoroughbred Industry. 1. Introduction of a Standard Training Agreement and a Joint Owners Agreement Racing Australia is bringing in a new system to formalize arrangements between owners and trainers and also between owners where a horse is owned by more than one owner. Accordingly a Standard Training Agreement will be compulsory for all racehorses.

Racing Victoria (RV) has today released its 2016-17 racing calendar which will feature 557 race meetings across the state from 1 August to 31 July – the same number as the current season. The 2016-17 program has been determined by RV following a collaborative process with clubs and stakeholders which saw feedback considered from a draft of the race dates circulated in December 2015. Following is a summary of the features and changes within the 2016-17 Victorian racing calendar:

TROA is delighted to support Yalumba Golden Mile Race Day, Saturday 21 March 2015, the stand-alone Saturday meeting at Bendigo offering $1 million in prize money. All TROA members will receive complimentary entry on presentation of their Owners Gold Card. Following the successful launch in 2005 of the Owners Strategy, in conjunction with Racing Victoria, all racehorse owners receive an Owners Gold Card and are afforded free membership of TROA.

During May and June 2014, Victoria’s Racing Integrity Commissioner (RIC), Sal Perna, will undertake a series of presentations in regional and metropolitan areas of Victoria and warmly invites TROA members to attend. All Roadshows are free of charge and allow TROA members to gather an in-depth understanding of public perception of the racing industry, emerging racing concerns and new laws relevant to racing participants. The sessions will be an opportunity to raise questions and hear first-hand of the Commissioner’s perspectives on integrity in the racing industry.

Warhorse smash hit production Exclusive event for TROA Members and their Guests Wednesday 20 February & Friday 22 February 2013 Arts Centre, St Kilda Road Melbourne “A landmark theatre event!” – Time Magazine USA 6.15pm Pre-Show premium food and beverage package 7.30pm National Theatre of Great Britain production War Horse – Premium Reserve Seating War Horse, one of the most sought-after stage shows of the current era, is coming to Arts Centre Melbourne.