Racing Victoria (RV) has this afternoon confirmed a series of temporary relief measures to support racing businesses and their continued participation in Victorian racing in the face of increased fuel costs.
The announcement comes following ongoing consultation with the Australian Trainers Association (ATA), Victorian Jockeys Association (VJA), Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association (TROA), the State Government and other agencies.
It also considers yesterday’s announcement by the Federal Government that Australia’s fuel excise will be reduced by 50% - the equivalent of 26.3 cents per litre – and the heavy vehicle road user charge of 32.6 cents per litre of diesel for vehicles over 4.5 tonnes GVM will be removed.
Both Federal Government initiatives are for the next three months and a welcomed first step in providing the community, including those in the Victorian racing industry, with some initial support.
RV’s relief package provides another layer of business support noting that participation in racing is heavily reliant on fuel due in no small part to the industry’s broad regional footprint.
With immediate effect from Wednesday, 1 April 2026, RV has announced that the following temporary measures will be implemented:
- For each starter in a Victorian race, a licensed trainer will receive a $100 business support subsidy designed to assist with their operations in the face of escalating fuel costs. It is RV’s expectation that these fees, when coupled with the Government’s relief measures, will be used at a minimum to limit additional transport costs being imposed upon owners and to provide assistance to their employees, including stable staff;
- For each Victorian race meeting attended, a licensed jockey will receive a $50 business support subsidy in recognition of their additional travel costs to participate in the sport. This will be paid in addition to the minimum riding allowance of $100 per meeting for three rides or less and applies irrespective of distance travelled; and
- RV’s acknowledged retrainers, rehomers and retirement farms will each receive a business support subsidy of 10% for each horse retrained/rehomed/agisted as part of RV’s Off The Track program. This will see their regular reporting subsidy increased to $165 per horse.
(Subsidy amounts: ex GST)
The payments will be made by RV in arrears on a weekly basis to licensed trainers and jockeys and in line with regular payment cycles for acknowledged post racing providers.
These temporary measures will be implemented for a minimum of one month and be reviewed on an on-going basis with the ATA, VJA and TROA, taking into account any further Government announcements or advice with regards to fuel supply and/or costs.
As part of this ongoing consultation process, RV, in consultation with stakeholders, is reviewing the near-term racing calendar and programs to determine whether any changes or flexibility are appropriate in the current circumstances. Participants are also encouraged to work with their staff on car and float pooling opportunities to race meetings, trials and jump-outs.
RV Chief Executive, Aaron Morrison, said: “As we have done throughout the past 12 months with the drought and bushfires, we are providing support to racing businesses in a time of need to assist with their operations and their continued participation in Victorian racing.
“With a large network of country racetracks and training businesses spread across all the regions, our industry is heavily reliant on fuel to compete and thus transportation represents a substantive portion of industry costs.
“The temporary measures we have announced today are designed to work alongside the Federal Government’s reduction of the fuel excise and removal of the heavy vehicle road user charge to provide some relief to those in our industry, particularly around horse transport.
“With our business support subsidies and the Government relief measures both taking effect from 1 April, we are encouraging training businesses to limit any additional transport costs imposed upon owners and to provide assistance to their employees.
“The measures we’ve announced today come following extensive consultation with stakeholder groups and those discussions will continue regularly in the weeks ahead on the length of time these temporary measures will remain in place."
