Equine Welfare Update – April 2026

Dear Participant/Owner,

Off the back of another successful Festival of Racing, I wanted to provide you with an update on Racing Victoria’s (RV) equine welfare initiatives and, importantly, recognise the extraordinary work being undertaken across the industry to support the wellbeing of our thoroughbreds.

Equine welfare is central to our sport’s long-term sustainability and is a shared responsibility that is upheld daily by owners, trainers, breeders, stable staff and post-racing providers across Victoria. 

The vast majority of retraining and rehoming outcomes are delivered directly by participants, and I want to acknowledge and sincerely thank you for the critical role you play. RV’s role is to support, coordinate and strengthen this ecosystem, and the progress we continue to make is only possible thanks to your commitment.

Since the introduction of a prizemoney contribution in 2017, RV has invested more than $46.5 million into equine welfare. These funds are directed toward programs and safeguards that complement the significant day-to-day investment made by participants across all stages of a thoroughbred’s life. 

While the 2% of prizemoney contribution enables us to provide targeted support for post racing care and a strong safety net, it is important to be clear that it cannot meet the full scale of need on its own. With 1,800 thoroughbreds retired on average each year, sustained welfare outcomes rely on our continued shared efforts across the industry.

My previous industry update in August 2025 detailed how our equine welfare spend in the 2024-25 financial year was distributed across RV’s four core strategic pillars, those being:

• Post Racing, Safety Net & Visibility;
• Risk Reduced Racing (Injury Prevention);
• Equine Welfare & Veterinary Operational Delivery; and
• Industry Education & Reputation 

It is my intention to provide another breakdown of this expenditure once the 2025-26 financial year has concluded.

Since my last update, our focus areas have included boosting demand for retired thoroughbreds across the broader equestrian community, refining our veterinary protocols to ensure Victoria remains an international leader, and providing immediate support for thoroughbreds facing urgent welfare situations.

Having launched many new initiatives over the past five years, the last few months have seen several key milestones reached, many of which are included in the recent highlights outlined below:

2025-26 Highlights

• Inaugural Off The Track Carnival

The Off The Track Carnival, held in conjunction with Boneo Park in September, attracted over 380 thoroughbreds in its inaugural year, making it the largest equestrian event dedicated to thoroughbreds in Victoria. Click here to watch a short highlights package.

Events like these play an integral role in strengthening demand for retired racehorses and reinforcing the message that thoroughbreds can thrive in a wide range of post-racing careers. 

The Off The Track Carnival, which was also the richest equestrian event in Victoria with prizemoney of $235,000, comprised of 17 championship classes across four disciplines, and plans are in place to add a third day of competition in 2026, such was the appetite for participation. It’s worth noting that this event also provides a unique opportunity for corporate and community partners to show their support for the thoroughbred community beyond racedays.

Further exciting details of this year’s event will be released in the coming weeks.

• Bushfire Relief Support

In response to the devasting January bushfires in country Victoria, RV’s Equine Welfare Fund contributed over $140,000 in immediate support to affected licensed participants and acknowledged post racing providers.

In addition to providing cashflow relief to assist with immediate infrastructure repairs, the relief support package also helped cover costs associated with rehoming, transport, feed and emergency stabling for the estimated 800 thoroughbreds who were displaced. 

Taking into account this latest contribution, RV has now provided emergency support to 2,780 thoroughbreds since 2021, with the majority following drought, bushfire and flood emergencies, to help ensure equine welfare standards are maintained during times of hardship.

Beyond this direct relief to our participants, I’m proud that our industry raised a further $220,000 via fundraising events to support first responders and local communities impacted by the January bushfires.

• Strengthening of Veterinary Protocols

RV’s world-first veterinary protocols helped deliver a fifth successive Melbourne Cup Carnival without serious injury last spring which is crucial to maintaining our social license and building trust with the community to engage with racing, be that as an attendee, viewer or sponsor. 

Whilst the foundation of the protocols remained unchanged for 2025, the introduction of Australia’s first Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner proved a valuable additional tool in determining selected horses’ suitability to race.

Introduced in 2021, our veterinary protocols have set new safety standards for thoroughbred racing and their ongoing success reflects the commitment of veterinarians, trainers, owners and racing officials working in tandem to prioritise thoroughbred welfare.

• Acknowledged Rehomer Program

Over the past 12 months we have continued establishing relationships with experienced and respected rehoming entities through RV’s Acknowledged Rehomer Program, which celebrated its one-year anniversary in February. 

Each Acknowledged Rehomer, of which there are currently 19, receives a one-off $150 reporting payment for each Off The Track (OTT) thoroughbred reported to RV via the Off The Track Community (this payment was increased to $165 as noted in the recent Fuel Cost Relief Announcement).

Since 2021, RV’s Rehoming, Retraining, PRESET & RESET programs have supported over 2,700 thoroughbreds transition to life after racing, a number we are incredibly proud of.

• Inaugural National Thoroughbred Week

We were also proud to be a sponsor for the inaugural National Thoroughbred Week in Australia, which saw over 5,000 people attend 80 events nationwide as trainers, stud farms and post racing providers opened their doors to the public in November.

Modelled on a similar concept in Britain, a number of leading stables and breeding operations across Victoria supported the initiative, while large crowds attended open days hosted by RV’s Acknowledged Retrainers Jade Willis and Louise Abey.

If anyone would like to get involved in next year’s event or volunteer to serve on the planning sub-committee for their local region, please email hello@thoroughbredweek.com.au.

• Off The Track Community Expansion

The RV Off The Track Community platform, which turns five in May, continues its growth as a vital tool for improving our visibility of retired racehorses.

In the absence of a national horse traceability system, the OTT Community was developed as a free platform where owners can voluntarily claim retired racehorses and provide updated location details once they leave the care of industry participants.

Since its inception, more than 12,200 thoroughbreds have been traced through the platform, giving us improved insight into their transition into post-racing careers and helping inform our ongoing support and engagement.

While the platform strengthens traceability through data collection, it is important to note that RV’s regulatory oversight concludes when a thoroughbred leaves the industry. Thus, RV does not assess, approve, or endorse post racing homes through private rehoming arrangements. Our role is to support visibility and collaborate where appropriate, including with relevant authorities where matters fall outside of RV’s jurisdiction.

The platform, which has over 12,000 members, has received global acclaim, having been recognised as a leading initiative at the International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) conference in Saudi Arabia earlier this year.  

Visit ottcommunity.com.au to learn more and register.

• Increasing Program Awareness

Our veterinary and welfare teams have continued to play a visible role across major race meetings and industry events throughout the season, including at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival (MCC) and at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.

The MCC welcomed over 286,000 attendees in 2025, which provided the perfect opportunity for RV’s equine welfare team, in partnership with Living Legends, Riding For The Disabled Victoria and Equine Pathways Australia, to educate people on our programs and bring them closer to the thoroughbred.

Cup week also served as an opportunity to provide attendees with an insight into the care, training and veterinary oversight that underpins the life of a thoroughbred.

These activations are an essential tool to help improve transparency around our welfare practices while providing the public with a better understanding of our industry’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest standards of equine care.

• Expansion of OTT Subsidised Education Clinics

Subsidised education clinics for OTT owners and riders continue to prove extremely popular and have become an essential tool for incentivising the claiming of an OTT thoroughbred via the OTT Community platform.

A total of 47 subsidised clinics have been held to date this financial year, which has seen the number of OTT thoroughbred attendees since their inception surpass 800.

What are the key numbers from RV’s programs over recent years?

The OTT Community platform, combined with better collection of post-racing data, audits, program nominations and welfare inspections, has enabled us to significantly improve our visibility of thoroughbreds over the past five years. Some of the key numbers achieved across selected RV programs since 2021 include:

Looking Ahead

Since my last update, we have focused on strengthening and embedding our established programs and initiatives. This approach is about maximising impact and sustainability, with consolidation remaining a key priority for the remainder of 2026. This includes:

• Promoting the exciting new additions to the Off The Track Carnival to increase participation in its second year and further stimulate demand for our retired racehorses;
• Continuing to provide support and resources to the industry to prepare for and respond to natural disasters such as bushfires, floods, prolonged periods of drought and other adverse weather conditions;
• Expanding community engagement and continuing to highlight the versatility and trainability of the thoroughbred to drive sustainable demand;
• Maintaining a visible activation presence at all major thoroughbred and equestrian events in Victoria, including the Melbourne International 3 Day Event in June 2026; and
• Increasing engagement with OTT Community members through education, including the expansion of clinics to ensure OTT owners are supported at all stages of their journey.

Conclusion

Our communications and community engagement programs aim to ensure the broader public recognises the industry’s significant investment in equine welfare and the many positive outcomes being delivered for thoroughbreds on and off the track. 

But the strength of our industry’s welfare outcomes is built on the daily care and dedication shown by so many participants across Victoria, and I would again like to thank all those who continue to put the welfare of our thoroughbreds above all else. 

If you have any questions about this update or our broad range of equine welfare programs, please email equinewelfare@racingvictoria.net.au or visit www.racingvictoria.com.au/equine-welfare.

Kind regards,

Aaron Morrison

Chief Executive Officer

Racing Victoria