MELBOURNE CUP TRAGEDY LEADS TO REFORMS

Melbourne Cup heading for reform.

After the findings that Anthony Van Dyck could have potentially been spared his fate with better raceday protocols 44 new recommendations have been submitted with all but three to be implemented in the coming year.

Two of the recommendations put forward by the Racing Victoria review were to reduce the number of entrants into the race to 20 and that the race should be run on a Good 4 or softer. Both these were among the three rejected.

Prominent horse owner Lloyd Williams has already voiced that he would like his horses at Sandown or  Ballarat in the lead up to the race when arriving from abroad but it was confirmed that Weribee would continue to be the international base for arriving competitors. 

As part of the RV review animal welfare checks would be improved at Werribee as well as all international arrivals being limited to one run before competing in the Melbourne Cup. 

Other recommendations included:

- Horses that have had previous major fractures or orthopaedic surgery be excluded from Werribee.

- Pre-travel veterinary inspections are performed under raceday conditions.

- International horses undergo full body scans (CT where possible) at the expense of connections.

- Additional vet RV checks within a week of arriving in quarantine in Australia.

- RV vet staff to oversee or provide clinical service at Werribee.

- Jockeys and trackwork riders to provide report on horse’s gait and exercise each morning to a dedicated independent trawork supervisor.

- Construct a new horse examination area at Werribee.

- International and local horses must undergo CT scan of limbs before every race start, and those images sent to an RV panel of experts.

- Limit of 24 horses at Werribee for the Spring Racing Carnival.

- A list of all the changes are listed on the Racing Victoria website. 

More News