Jockey, Trainer & Stable Staff Welfare Update – May 2026

Dear Owner/Participant,

In our April update to owners and participants, we provided an overview of our equine welfare initiatives and expenditure. In this May update, we want to provide you with an overview of how the remaining 1.5% contribution from prizemoney is being utilised to support jockey, trainer and stable staff welfare in Victoria.

The safety, health and long-term wellbeing of participants is of great importance. This contribution helps to protect and support our people every day and especially in challenging times.

Before getting into the specifics, I wanted to first acknowledge all involved in the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival which attracted over 29,000 attendees throughout last week and delivered some amazing results for owners and participants.

The Warrnambool Carnival is not only a vibrant asset for our sport, it’s an incredible economic driver for south-west Victoria delivering $15 million in economic benefit each year. Importantly, this year’s carnival was not only a successful one, it was a safe one which all within Victorian racing work hard to achieve.

I also wanted to briefly touch upon our temporary fuel relief measures which we have extended for the month of May. Throughout April, we provided almost $450,000 in relief to participants and officials and will deliver a similar amount this month.

Central to that extension was our continued expectation that trainers use their business support subsidies to actively limit additional transport-related costs being passed on to owners, and to support their employees. This and the global landscape will be among our key considerations on whether the temporary relief is extended beyond May.

As noted, in this update you’ll find a high-level overview of the programs, initiatives, services and subsidies that Racing Victoria (RV) delivers in conjunction with the Victorian Jockeys Association (VJA) and Australian Trainers Association (ATA) through the 1.5% jockey, trainer and stable staff welfare contribution, and other RV funding.

For context, that figure includes a 1% prizemoney contribution for jockey welfare initiatives which is long-standing and mirrored in each state. It also includes a contribution for trainer and stable staff welfare that commenced in February 2024 and currently sits at 0.5%.

Jockey Welfare

Over the past decade, our annual investment in jockey welfare has significantly exceeded the amount received from the 1% contribution from prizemoney. In FY25, over $3 million was spent by RV on jockey welfare initiatives. That investment contributes to the following:

• Insurance and Financial Protection – Around 40% of our jockey welfare investment is used to fully fund insurance coverage for riders given the nature of their work. This funds personal accident and public liability policies;
• Jockey Assistance Program – A program dedicated to the wellbeing of riders that includes 24/7 access to a network of psychologists to assist current and retired jockeys and their immediate families through the challenges of professional sport and life thereafter. First launched 20 years ago, this program remains a national leader for riders;
• Medical and Wellbeing Officials – Important funding is dedicated to key resources to deliver specialist support to jockeys through the physical rigors of riding. This includes the funding for Chief Medical Officer Dr Ben Barresi, along with dedicated jockey welfare and safety officers within RV and the VJA;
• Industry Support Initiatives - This includes the Emergency Relief Fund for jockeys which supports current and retired riders in times of need, along with the Jockey Messaging Service which delivers timely communication around critical information;
• Post-Career Support - A portion of jockeys’ superannuation is funded from the welfare contribution as per a long-standing agreement with the VJA. This helps to build long-term financial security for riders, as well as career transition and education support for those who have hung up the saddle;
• Legacy Welfare Commitments – This stream consists of ongoing support provided to jockeys who sustained career-ending injuries prior to 1985, reflecting a long-standing and enduring responsibility to participant care;
• Testing Programs - A comprehensive drug and alcohol screening program is undertaken in partnership with Racing Analytical Services Limited, to maintain the highest standards of rider welfare and integrity; and
• Equipment Replacement – The provision of equipment and financial assistance to jockeys whose riding gear is damaged during falls and racing incidents, enabling them to promptly and safely return to competition.

These initiatives combine to provide a vital support network for riders which few jurisdictions match. We are fortunate to boast one of the most talented and competitive jockey pools in racing, and that’s in no small part due to the work of those who provide the foundations for them to prosper.

Trainer & Stable Staff Welfare

Since the introduction of a prizemoney contribution to trainer and stable staff welfare in February 2024, over $5 million has been allocated to initiatives, support staff and programs. That contribution was initially 1% of prizemoney to provide urgent short-term relief to trainers with escalating WorkCover premiums, before reducing to the current 0.5% contribution from August 2025. The overall investment has contributed to the following:

• WorkCover Support Service (WSS) – A joint initiative with the ATA, this new service is aimed at stabilising rising WorkCover premiums, enhancing workplace safety, and improving the management of injury claims across the industry. Over 120 major stables are now signed up to the WSS, receiving specialist consulting on risk mitigation and safety, along with assistance with injury claims processes. This has led to a 55% reduction on the average return-to-work time for injured staff in the short term, with the benefits of the WSS in stabilising WorkCover premiums expected to be realised over the next two to three years;
• WorkCover Premium Subsidies – To help address an acute rise in insurance premiums over a short period, more than $2.25 million in subsidies were paid to eligible Victorian trainers from February 2024 to August 2025. This initiative was aimed at providing short-term relief to trainers whilst the WSS was established. With the WSS now fully in place, the subsidies have concluded and the overall prizemoney contribution reduced as planned;
• Participant Wellbeing and Protection – The employment of a registered psychologist as a Participant Wellbeing Manager to support the mental health and wellbeing of Victorian racing participants, including trainers, stable staff and their families. The Participant Wellbeing Manager works closely with RV’s Participant Protection Manager to deliver education and training that underpins good welfare outcomes and helps drive safe and respectful workplaces for all participants;
• Stableline – A free and confidential 24/7 counselling service for all RV licensed and registered persons and their immediate family members which has now been utilised for multiple sessions by over 160 participants and their families in their time of need. To access Stableline call 1300 520 122 or visit stableline.com.au  for more information;
• Enhanced Education and Training – In order to strengthen workplace practices, safety standards, and staff wellbeing across the industry, we have invested significantly in workplace and culture training. Initiatives include Wellbeing Musters at training centres, Mental Health First Aid Training for stable staff and our current Leaders Racing for Respectful Workplaces initiative. That latter is a mandatory in-person, interactive education workshop for all licensed trainers, assistant trainers and forepersons. Almost 800 participants have completed these workshops to date which build on the Respect at Work program being undertaken by RV in response to the Racing Integrity Commissioner’s report and recommendations on victim support and complaint processes in the racing industry;
• Employment Support Services – The launch of the HR Assist Service, which provides free and confidential access to qualified employment advice, education and issue resolution for all licensed participants in Victoria. For more information visit https://www.racingvictoria.com.au/participants/HR-Assist;
• The Thurgood Duckling Fund – The creation and delivery of an emergency relief fund to support industry participants in times of hardship. This includes support in the event of a serious racing-related incident through to urgent support after natural disasters, like the January bushfires. In the case of the latter, immediate support was provided to impacted stable staff who did not meet the eligibility criteria for RV’s equine welfare bushfire relief package. This broad support has been extremely well received by its beneficiaries.

Conclusion

Across both welfare streams, the 1.5% prizemoney contribution is designed to provide sufficient funding to assist RV in providing practical, targeted support where it is needed most, be it injury protection for our riders, cost relief for our trainers, or access to wellbeing and development services for our stable staff.

Thank you for your important contribution to jockey, trainer and stable staff welfare and for the role you play in supporting a safe and successful future for our sport.

Kind regards,

Aaron Morrison
Chief Executive Officer
Racing Victoria