RACING Victoria and the Victoria Racing Club released their report into the fatalities and injuries of international runners contesting the Melbourne Spring Carnival on Wednesday, titled ‘International Injury Review Report’.

The panel creating the report was comprised of five Racing Victoria employees, including the General Manager Veterinary Services, Dr. Grace Forbes and General Manager International and Racing Operations, Paul Bloodworth, as well as three external representatives, trainer Chris Waller, Godolphin Australia General manager and VRC Board member Vin Cox, and Dr David Sykes, formerly of the British Horseracing Authority. The report made 44 recommendations, 41 of which are to be adopted.

The adopted recommendations are set to have a significant impact on the Spring Carnival and the international horses that travel to Melbourne. Amongst the recommendations of the Spring Racing Carnival are;

Pre-Travel:

  • All international horses wishing to enter the Werribee International Horse Centre (WIHC) must undergo full body scintigraphy and CT/MRI of their distal limbs at the expense of their connections two to six weeks prior to entering pre-export quarantine.
  • Horses that have had a previous major fracture or orthopaedic surgery will be excluded from travelling regardless of their current health and soundness.

    • Post-Arrival in Australia:

  • All international horses that arrive at WIHC must also undergo a CT scan of their distal limbs prior to each start in Victoria during the Spring Racing Carnival before being permitted to compete, with the costs to be met by Racing Victoria (RV).
  • Dedicated RV appointed veterinary staff will provide and/or oversee veterinary clinical services for international horses at WIHC instead of stables appointing their own private veterinarians.
  • Enhanced oversight will include new trackwork monitoring processes and systems along with the introduction of cortisol analysis to monitor stress levels in international horses based at WIHC.

    • Werribee International Horse Centre:

  • The number of international horses permitted to enter the WIHC for the Spring Racing Carnival will be capped at 24 – down from an uncapped peak of 42 in 2018.
  • Imported international horses (‘one-way tickets’), whilst in training, will be required to remain at the WIHC until at least the conclusion of Melbourne Cup week before being permitted to transfer to different training facilities.

    • Melbourne Cup:

  • All horses – international and local – must undergo a CT scan of their distal limbs before being permitted to compete in the Melbourne Cup, with the costs to be met by RV. These scans will be reviewed by a panel of three RV-appointed international experts in equine surgery and veterinary diagnostic imaging.
  • International horses that travel to Australia via the WIHC will be permitted to have a maximum of one start only in Australia prior to contesting the Melbourne Cup.

    • Van Dyck death a Key driver

    RACING Victoria chairman Brian Kruger has singled out the fatal injuries sustained by Anthony Van Dyck in last year’s Melbourne Cup as the catalyst that brought about the investigation of the injury rate amongst international runners during the Spring Carnival.

    The report found that in a review of Anthony Van Dyck veterinary and treatment records found there was nothing that would give rise to any concern with the horse nor constitute a breach of the Rules of Racing

    However, Kruger said: “The report found that whilst current vet processes were followed, had mandatory precautionary diagnostic imaging been in place, it may have identified the potential for Anthony Van Dyck to incur a more serious racing injury. That finding is one of the key drivers behind the new safety measures.”

    Kruger went on to note that he felt there was a groundswell of concern in the racing industry that more could be done to alleviate the injury rate, particularly amongst International runners.

    “We know some of these initiatives will be onerous on connections, but we make no apology for making the safety of horses our priority,” added Kruger. “Our sole focus is on ensuring that horses and riders compete safely.”