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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 application in the 2022 Spring Racing Carnival – the second successive without a serious incident.

RV's working group, which includes integrity, veterinary, equine welfare and racing experts, also considered feedback from a broad range of stakeholders including Australian and international private veterinarians, regulatory veterinarians, trainers, jockeys, owners, primary service providers, and Victoria's racing clubs.

Upon recommendation of the working group, the RV Board endorsed updates to the following veterinary protocols for international horses seeking to travel via the Werribee International Horse Centre (WIHC) and compete in Victoria in 2023 and beyond:

a) Radiographs (X-Rays) will no longer be mandatory but may be directed to be undertaken at the discretion of RV. X-Rays are now primarily suggested as a screening tool for connections before progressing to advanced diagnostic imaging. A pre-travel CT or MRI scan remains mandatory for each international horse

b) The pre-travel inspection and imaging window will now open Aug. 1 for all international horses and close one week prior to a horse entering pre-export quarantine (dates to be determined based on horse shipments)

In addition to the endorsed changes to the 2023 veterinary protocols, the RV Board, on advice from the working group, also determined:

A requirement for improved operational communication methods and processes to enhance the experience of connections completing the veterinary protocols. This will include the appointment of a case manager for international contenders
A renewed focus on attracting Japanese horses to Melbourne for future editions of the Spring Racing Carnival, by improving the understanding of the veterinary protocols by Japanese trainers and owners
All international horses, including those travelling on a one-way ticket, will remain in WIHC until Champions S. Day Nov. 11 or until after their last Spring Racing Carnival start if earlier

The Victoria Racing Club also announced that nominations for the 2023 Melbourne Cup, scheduled for Nov. 7, will close in early September for all horses. The nomination dates for the Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup are expected to remain in early August when finalised.

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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 the use of scintigraphy scans in a targeted manner from 2022 onwards for international horses entering Victoria via the Werribee International Horse Centre, as opposed to a blanket order.

“The RV veterinary team will focus the use of scintigraphy scans on international horses where their mandatory CT or MRI scans; veterinary history; racing history; and/or pre-travel inspections indicate that the horse may be at a heightened risk of sustaining a serious injury.

“The change aligns European horses with Japanese horses, where a discretionary protocol was in place in 2021 due to the absence of such technology in Japan.

“The adoption of a targeted approach considers both the benefits and challenges on utilising scintigraphy scans on racehorses in active training, along with analysis of scintigraphy results from the 2021 Spring Racing Carnival and of ongoing research into the prevalent causes of serious injuries in racehorses.”

Racing Victoria's Chief Executive Giles Thompson added, “When we introduced the new veterinary protocols last year we committed to a thorough process after the Spring Carnival to review their implementation, consider any learnings and participant feedback and to understand any advancements in technology research that may be of further benefit.

“Our international working group recommended that to remain at the forefront of safety in world racing, Victoria should continue the mandatory CT or MRI scanning of all international horses travelling to Australia and CT scanning of all horses, both local and international, prior to the Melbourne Cup.

“They also recommended enhancements to our protocols through an increase in the number of pre-travel veterinary inspections for an international horse and the introduction of new gait analysis technology, along with enhanced veterinary oversight of horses travelling to Australia via alternative quarantine centres.

“Upon review of the use of scintigraphy scans, it was determined that they now be used in a discretionary manner by our veterinary team in circumstances where the mandatory CT scans; veterinary history; racing history; and/or pre-travel inspections of any international horse indicate that it may be at a heightened risk of a serious injury.

“In doing so, our vets will remain vigilant and not hesitate to use a scintigraphy scan where needed to protect the safety of horses and riders.”

He added, “In making this announcement, I would reiterate that we remain focused on attracting the best horses, trainers and jockeys to compete in Victoria, as we do on ensuring that those visiting compete safely and return home in good health.

“International participation has been a feature of our Spring Racing Carnival for close to 30 years, and the win of State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in last year's G1 Cox Plate demonstrated both the competitiveness of international horses in our elite races and their ability to travel here, satisfy our veterinary protocols and perform at an elite level.”

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