News

New Season Off And Jumping!

31st Mar 2009

Racing Victoria - Media Release - Tuesday, 31 March 2009

The 2009 feature jumps racing season was officially launched in Melbourne today in conjunction with the famous Tabcorp Warrnambool May Racing Carnival.

The modified season, which features 94 meetings at 10 venues across the state, carries prize money in excess of $3 million.

A number of changes have been made to jumps racing this season including modification of obstacles for hurdle races, an increase in the minimum weights and distances for hurdle races, greater scrutiny around the qualification of horses and limitations on the number of venues which conduct jumps races.

In 2009, metropolitan jumps racing will be held at Sandown and Moonee Valley and provincially at Casterton, Coleraine, Hamilton, Moe, Mornington, Pakenham, Warrnambool and Yarra Valley.

“These changes have been made to showcase jumps racing at venues that compliment this style of racing. The season has also been shortened to ensure we can accommodate the necessary changes,” said Racing Victoria Chief Executive Officer Rob Hines.

The highlight of the season is the $1.8 million J.J. Houlahan Jumps Championship. Now in its fourth year the Championship features 15 races beginning with the $100,000 Von Doussa Steeplechase at Oakbank on Saturday 11 April.

The famous three-day Tabcorp Warrnambool May Racing Carnival kicks off on Tuesday 5 May and for the first time in 2009, carries prize money in excess of $1 million, making it the richest provincial racing carnival in Australia.

Former Australian cricketer, Simon O’Donnell, co-owner of Emirates Melbourne Cup runner-up Bauer, has been appointed the Carnival Ambassador while Trish Oliver, wife of Hall of Fame jockey Damien Oliver, is the Face of the Carnival.

Chief Executive Officer of Warrnambool Racing Club Andrew Pomeroy said, “We are looking forward to another great Carnival and this one will hold many firsts. It’s the first time we have a naming rights sponsor for the Carnival in Tabcorp and a new sponsor for the Warrnambool Cup in Luxbet.

“This year’s prize money increase is a result of Inglis also coming on board as a Carnival sponsor and we now have a $100,000 two-year-old race for Inglis autumn graduates on the final day of the Carnival.”

An ML280 CDi Mercedes Benz valued at $87,890 is on offer to any trainer who can prepare the winner of three races plus either the Scott Petroleum Wangoom Handicap, Sungold Milk Galleywood Hurdle, Luxbet Warrnambool Cup or The Flying Horse Bar and Brewery Grand Annual Steeplechase, across the three days.

To download a copy of the 2009 Jumps Racing Media Guide click here.