News

Racing industry puts weight behind new scale

9th Jun 2009

Herald Sun - Adrian Dunn - Monday, 9 June 2009

VICTORIAN racing will have a new weight scale from the start of the 2009-10 season.

Headlining the shift is a lift to the minimum topweight for non-black type races and increasing the minimum weight for all Group races outside the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

Racing Victoria approved the changes at its board meeting last week and they will take effect on August 1.

Minimum topweight at declaration for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups remains at 57kg, while the minimum weight for the Melbourne Cup remains 50kg. All Group and two-year-old races will retain a minimum topweight at declaration of 58kg.

RVL chief handicapper Greg Carpenter said the status quo remained for two-year-old races because quite often an unraced horse with no winning form would find itself at the top of the weights, especially early in the season.

Carpenter said the reason for keeping the topweight at Group level was to attract, not discourage, quality horses.

He said the minimum weight for Group 1 races, outside the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, would be lifted from 51 to 52kg.

Carpenter said this would eliminate the farcical situation that existed at this year's Sydney autumn carnival. At the Coolmore Classic 13 of the 19 runners were weighted at 51kg with five jockeys riding overweight, and another five were overweight in the Sydney Cup.

So desperate was trainer David Payne to gain a senior jockey that stewards allowed Danny Nikolic to ride at 2kg overweight.

"The weight scale should now provide a better opportunity for owners and trainers to engage jockeys who can ride the weight," Carpenter said.

But in all other races, including Listed Races, the minimum topweight will rise to 59kg.

The Newmarket Handicap has a lower minimum weight - 50kg for three-year-olds and 51kg for older horses.

Carpenter said the changes to the weight scale were endorsed by the Victorian branch of the Australian Trainers Association; the Victorian Jockeys' Association, the Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners' Association and all three city clubs.

"It's a good result, more so that it's supported by all sections of the industry," he said.

At the national handicappers' conference last week, Racing New South Wales indicated it would follow Victoria's weight-scale lead.