Owners are advised that Racing Victoria (RV) and the Victorian Jockeys Association (VJA) have finalised a new Riding Fee Agreement including the quantum of fees to be paid to jockeys competing in Victoria over the next three years.
As a result, the VJA has today lifted a ban on their members communicating with the media and are committed to promoting Victorian racing for the benefit of all stakeholders, including owners.
Changes to the Riding Fee Agreement, which take immediate effect, include increases in the flat riding fee to $211 per ride (up from $200) and the jumps riding fee to $450 per ride (up from $435), while the minimum riding allowance remains unchanged.
All Victorian race and trial riding fees are paid directly by RV to jockeys and are not taken from prizemoney. The engagement of riders for training, including jump-outs, and the terms under which they do so remains the responsibility of trainers.
RV Chief Executive, Giles Thompson, said, “Racing Victoria’s objective throughout the process has been to achieve a fair and reasonable outcome that balances both the wishes of our jockeys and the needs of the broader industry and we are satisfied that this has occurred.
“We have reached a position across the three years that ensures Victoria attracts and retains the best jockeys, whilst allowing us to continue maximising returns to owners and trainers and investing in infrastructure, tracks, integrity and welfare.”
Thompson added that this week marked the commencement of the new racing season and with it the rollout of $12.4 million in prizemoney increases announced for 2018-19.
“Maximising prizemoney and bonuses rewards owners for their support of Victorian racing and we’re pleased to have grown the pool on offer in Victoria by more than $50 million over the past three years,” Thompson said.
“We’re particularly pleased that those owners with horses engaged the grass roots, in maidens and Benchmark 58 races, are competing for increased prizemoney and we wish them every success for the season ahead.”
In finalising the Riding Fee Agreement, RV and the VJA have also agreed to work together with other stakeholders to review the working week in the knowledge that customer demand has seen the footprint of races further broaden over the past three years.
“We acknowledge points raised by the VJA around the working week and the demands on all participants. We have agreed that it is an appropriate time to take a good look at our racing and working schedule to see whether we, as an industry, can better structure how we operate whilst meeting customer demand and maintaining vital income streams,” Thompson said.
“With the Riding Fee Agreement finalised, we are now looking forward to our jockeys showcasing their talent at the upcoming Spring Racing Carnival which promises to be the biggest yet with record prizemoney for the Lexus Melbourne Cup, Stella Artois Caulfield Cup and Ladbrokes Cox Plate, a host of exciting Country Cups and the celebration of 25 years of international competition,” he concluded.
The fees to be paid to jockeys by RV in 2018-19 are as follows:
| TYPE OF FEE |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
Increase |
| Flat Riding Fee |
$200 |
$211 |
$11 |
| Flat Trial Fee |
$100 |
$105 |
$5 |
| Jumps Riding Fee |
$435 |
$450 |
$15 |
| Jumps Trial Fee |
$135 |
$135 |
Nil |
| Picnic Riding Fee |
$100 |
$110 |
$10 |
| Engagement Fee |
$200 |
$211 |
$11 |
| Minimum Riding Allowance |
$100 |
$100 |
Nil |