Racing's governing bodies across Australia have stepped in to help the sport by offering relief packages to participants, as fuel prices soar due to the war in the Middle East.
In a bid to ease pressures on trainers, jockeys, and staff, Racing Victoria and Racing South Australia are offering subsidies to counter the rising costs. They follow Racing New South Wales, which announced an AU$1.5 million fuel relief package last week.
Racing Victoria's chief executive Aaron Morrison said: "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.
"With our business support subsidies taking effect from April 1, 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."
Trainers will receive an AU$100 business support subsidy as part of the measures, while jockeys will get AU$50 in recognition of additional travel costs to ride at a Victorian race meeting. Participants are also being encouraged to share car and horse truck rides to fixtures and barrier trials.
Racing South Australia's relief package, which is in place until at least the end of the month, will give trainers between AU$25 and AU$75 for round-trip travel to meetings, dependent on mileage, while jockeys with three rides or less at a fixture will receive AU$50 per meeting. The racing clubs that run the cards will get AU$1,000 per fixture to aid maintenance costs.
Trainers in Queensland have not been given any financial relief after Racing Queensland declined to offer fuel subsidies. The Australian Trainers' Association's Queensland branch will approach the state's racing minister after the association's executive officer Richard Andrews warned meetings could be under threat.
Andrews told Australian racing outlet The Straight: "We've been lobbying Racing Queensland. Their position is that they're not able to provide any assistance at this point. Some trainers are doing 10-hour round trips to go to race meetings, and there will be a point where it's not going to be a feasible option."
