Qualification
Qualification Summary

Prior to a horse participating in its first official hurdle trial, it must have schooled to the satisfaction of a Steward over three (3) approved hurdles.

For horses new to jumps racing, they must complete two hurdle trials to the satisfaction of the jumps review panel prior to being able to accept for a hurdle race. One of these trials must be over 2800m (10 obstacles).

To get a horse qualified for steeplechase races, it must already be qualified for hurdle racing, then complete the course in at least two starts in hurdle races, before completing one steeplechase trial over 2800m (10 obstacles) to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel.

To re-qualify a horse for the current season (if that horse was qualified in a previous season), they must have at least one trial over a minimum distance of 2400m (8 obstacles) to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel, prior to accepting for a race (hurdle or steeplechase) in the current season. Horses can use a steeplechase trial to become re-qualified for both hurdle and steeplechase races.

Horses can also compete in a South Australian trial or race (in the current season) to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel to gain qualification or re-qualification for the current season.

New Zealand trained horses that have competed in jumps races in NZ but have never previously been qualified in Victoria must have raced in a jumps race in NZ in the current season to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel plus school over three approved obstacles in front of the Stewards in Victoria.

Any other international horses must trial over 2800m (10 obstacles) to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel.

For any horse that has not trialled to the satisfaction of the panel, the trainer will be contacted via phone.

If you have any questions relating to qualification, please contact James Hitchcock on 03 9258 4640 or via J.Hitchcock@racingvictoria.net.au
LR 60A - Qualification for Horses for Hurdles
(1) Horses must be qualified: Horses must be qualified at the time of acceptance in a hurdle or steeplechase race.

(2) Meaning of “never started”:A reference in the Rules relating to hurdle races and steeplechases and in the conditions of any hurdle race or steeplechase to a horse that has “never started” means a horse that has never started in a hurdle race or steeplechase.

LR 60B Qualification for hurdle races

(1) Prior to a horse participating in its first official hurdle trial, that horse must have schooled to the satisfaction of a steward over three approved hurdle trials.

(2) Subject to LR 60B(3), a horse is qualified to accept in a hurdle race if it has:

(a) Previously completed the course to the satisfaction of the Stewards in a jumping race at a registered race meeting in Victoria and trialed to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in one official hurdle trial in Victoria over at least 10 approved hurdles and over a distance of at least 2800 metres; or

(b) Trialed to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in two consecutive official hurdle trials in Victoria with one trial being over at least eight hurdles and a distance of at least 2400 metres, and the other trial being over a distance of at least 2800 metres and over at least 10 approved hurdles; or

(c) Trialed to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in one official hurdle trial in Victoria over at least 10 approved hurdles and a distance of at least 2800 metres, if, having been approved:

(i) Interstate or overseas to compete in a hurdle race; or
(ii) In Victoria to accept in a hurdle race in the previous racing season;
it has yet to start in a hurdle race or has failed to complete the course in a hurdle race; or

(d) Completed the course in a hurdle race at a registered race meeting outside Victoria, and then trialed in Victoria to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel, over at least 10 Approved Hurdles and a distance of at least 2800 metres.

(e) Completed a hurdle race in South Australia to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in the same calendar year

(f) Completed a hurdle race in New Zealand to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in the same calendar year of the jumps racing season, and also schooled over a minimum of three Approved Hurdles to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel.

(3) Where a horse has qualified to accept in a hurdle race in a previous jumps racing season, that horse is not qualified to accept in a hurdle race in any future jumps racing season unless it has:

(a) Completed a further trial to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in one Official Hurdle Trial over at least eight Approved Hurdles and a distance of at least 2400 metres; or

(b) Completed a hurdle race in South Australia to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in the same calendar year of the jumps racing season.

(c) completed a further official trial in South Australia to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel over at least eight Approved Hurdles and a distance of at least 2400 metres; or

(d) completed a hurdle race in New Zealand to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in the same calendar year of the jumps racing season, and also schooled over a minimum of three Approved Hurdles to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel.

Note: The official hurdle trial required by this LR 60B(3) must take place following the completion of the previous jumps racing season and as directed by the Jumps Review Panel.

(3A) Where a horse has qualified in the current jumps racing season to participate in a steeplechase race it will be qualified to accept in a hurdle race.

(4) For the purpose of rule 60B(1), ‘consecutive’ means following one after the other; not on the same day but to be completed within a three month period, or within such other period as allowed by the Jumps Review Panel in its discretion.
LR 60C - Qualification for Steeplechases
LR 60C Qualification for steeplechases

(1) Subject to LR 60C(2), a horse is qualified to participate in a steeplechase race if it has:

(a) previously completed the course to the satisfaction of the Stewards in a steeplechase race at a registered race meeting over modular steeplechase obstacles and trialled to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel on at least one occasion over a minimum distance of 2800 metres and over at least 10 Approved Steeplechase Obstacles; or
(b) completed the course in a steeplechase race at a registered race meeting, or outside Victoria, over non-modular steeplechase obstacles and then trialled to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel over a minimum distance of 2800 metres and over at least 10 Approved Steeplechase Obstacles; or

(c) completed the course to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in two hurdle races at a registered race meeting and trialled in Victoria to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel on one occasion over a minimum distance of 2800 metres and over a minimum of 10 Approved Steeplechase Obstacles; and

(d) completed a steeplechase race in South Australia to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in the same calendar year; or

(e) completed a steeplechase race in New Zealand to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in the same calendar year of the jumps racing season and also schooled over a minimum of three Approved Steeplechase Obstacles to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel; and

in addition to the above:

for qualification to participate in a steeplechase race at Warrnambool, a horse must have, prior to the race, schooled around the steeplechase course at that racetrack.

(2) Where a horse has qualified to accept in a steeplechase race in a previous jumps racing season, that horse is not qualified to accept in a steeplechase race in any future jumps racing season unless it has:

(a) completed a further trial to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel over at least eight Approved Steeplechase Obstacles and a distance of at least 2400 metres; or

(b) completed a steeplechase race in South Australia to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in the same calendar year of the jumps racing season; or

(c) completed a further official trial in South Australia to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel over at least eight Approved Hurdles and a distance of at least 2400 metres; or

(d) completed a steeplechase race in New Zealand to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel in the same calendar year of the jumps racing season and also schooled over a minimum of three Approved Steeplechase Obstacles to the satisfaction of the Jumps Review Panel

Note: The trial required by LR 60C(2)(a) must take place following the completion of the previous jumps racing season and as directed by the Jumps Review Panel.