Australian Rules of Racing amendments effective 1 April 2020

AR 51 & AR 78 Retirement of 13 year old horses

Summary:
Racing Australia has approved amendments to AR 51 and AR 78 to improve traceability of horses retired upon turning 13 years of age.
Under the revised rule, within 1 month of a horse turning 13 (upon which it is immediately ineligible to race, trial or be trained), the manager or his or her authorised agent must notify Racing Australia of the horse’s retirement.
This change seeks to ensure that racing authorities are receiving accurate and timely information from the horse’s last registered trainer or owner as to its retirement plans, including its location and the details of the person responsible for its care.
AR 78(5) has also been amended to make disqualification mandatory where a horse aged over 12 years participates in a race without the requisite permission of the Stewards.
Amend AR 51 as follows:

Amend AR 78 as follows:

AR 78 12+ year old horses
(1) Subject to subrule (2), if a horse is aged 12 years or more:
(a) the horse is ineligible for; and
(b) a person must not enter or start the horse in,
any race.
(2) The Stewards may give their express permission for a horse aged 12 years to start in a race/s during its 12 year old racing season, if:
(a) the trainer provides to the Stewards a veterinary report in respect of the horse’s condition and suitability to race, and any other information, examination or report as required by the Stewards; and
(b) the Stewards are satisfied that the horse is suitable to race.
(3) Any permission granted by the Stewards under subrule (2) expires at the conclusion of the horse’s 12 year old racing season, or earlier as provided by the Stewards.
(4) Upon a horse turning 13 years of age, it is immediately ineligible to race, trial or be trained.
(5) If a horse aged 12 years participates in any race without the permission of the Stewards in accordance with this rule, or if a horse over 12 years participates in a race, the horse must be disqualified from the relevant race.

Date of effect: 1 April 2020

AR 51 Manager to notify Racing Australia of the retirement of a horse
(1) Within 1 month of a decision to retire a named horse, or not commence racing an eligible horse, the manager of the horse or his or her authorised agent must notify Racing Australia of that, by lodging the relevant form (including a Stable Return or relevant retirement form) prescribed by Racing Australia.
(2) Once a form has been lodged in accordance with subrule (1), the horse will be ineligible to race or be trained unless it is reinstated to race or be trained.
(3) If a horse ceases to be eligible to race or be trained under subrule (1), a person must not reinstate the horse to race or be trained without the express permission of a PRA or the Stewards.
(4) Within 1 month of a horse turning 13 years of age (upon which it is immediately ineligible to race, trial or be trained), the manager of the horse or his or her authorised agent must notify Racing Australia of the horse’s retirement by lodging the relevant form (including a Stable Return or relevant retirement form) prescribed by Racing Australia.

Date of effect: 1 April 2020

AR 123 Safety vests

Summary:
Racing Australia has approved the use of Level 2 safety vests by riders. However, riders may continue to use Level 1 safety vests. The rule has been amended accordingly.
The Level 2 safety vest is significantly thicker and bulkier than the Level 1 safety vest and, therefore, may not always be appropriate in Australian conditions. This is why riders may wear either a Level 1 or 2 safety vest, provided it complies with the relevant standard and has been approved for use by Racing Australia.
The only Level 2 safety vest that Racing Australia has approved for use is the ‘Vipa II’ (manufactured by Vipatech), which satisfies the requirements of EN 13158:2018.
Other Level 2 safety vests which meet the relevant standard may be subsequently approved upon provision of appropriate evidence to Racing Australia.
A number of amendments have also been made to improve the readability of the rule.
Amend AR 123 as follows:

AR 123 Safety vests
(1) When mounted on a horse, including but not limited to in a race, official trial, jump-out or trackwork, a rider must wear a properly fastened safety vest which:
(a) complies with a standard prescribed by Racing Australia;
(b) has been approved by Racing Australia;
(c) is in a satisfactory condition;
(d) has not been modified in any way; and
(e) has attached to it a manufacturer’s label that states that it complies with a standard prescribed by Racing Australia.
(2) A rider required by these Australian Rules to wear a safety vest must not have in his or her possession a safety vest that does not comply with the requirements in subrule (1).
(3) The Stewards may confiscate or order the satisfactory repair of any safety vest that does not comply with the requirements in subrule (1).
(4) If an apprentice jockey breaches subrule (1), the apprentice jockey’s master and/or any other person who was in charge of the apprentice jockey at any relevant time may also be penalised unless that person satisfies the Stewards that he or she took all proper care to ensure that the apprentice jockey complied with that subrule.
Note: Pursuant to this rule, Racing Australia has ordered that:
(a) the following standards of safety vests are prescribed:
(i) ARB Standard 1.1998; and
(ii) European Standard EN 13158;
(b) the following Level 1 safety vests are approved:
(i) Hows Racesafe;
(ii) Ozvest;
(iii) Racelite Pro;
(iv) Vipa;
(v) Vipa I;
(vi) USG Flexi Race; and
(vii) Airowear Swift;
(c) the following Level 2 safety vests are approved:

(i) Vipa II.
Date of effect: 1 April 2020