Racing Victoria amends COVID-19 protocols

Thursday 25 June 2020, 6:13pm

Victorian jockeys have lost their battle for a rise in the minimum weight which will revert to its pre-coronavirus level from the new racing season.

The minimum weight was raised from 54kg to 56kg for day meetings and 55kg to 56kg for night meetings as Victorian jockeys were segregated into different groups.

One group of jockeys was not allowed to ride trackwork, trials or jumpouts and the weight increase, introduced in March, was brought in to allow those riders relief.

Those restrictions were relaxed last month with jockeys able to ride in jumpouts while earlier this month they returned to trackwork.

Racing Victoria chief executive Giles Thompson said from August 1 the minimum weight would return to 54kg, 55kg for night meetings, with the minimum topweight returning to 60kg.

"Following consultation with the VJA and ATA, it is clear that there is not a definitive push from all stakeholders to maintain the increases in perpetuity," Thompson said.

Racing Victoria will increase field sizes from 12 to 14 for country races with metropolitan races returning to pre-COVID-19 levels from July 1.

– AAP

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