RNSW_Oct 21_Col_W

RETIREMENT OF RACEHORSES, NOTIFICATION OF THE DEATH OF A RACEHORSE Notification of retirement of a racehorse The Australian Racing Board (ARB) has made important reforms to the Australian Rules of Racing, with extra responsibilities for owners and trainers. Effective from 1 July 2014, it is compulsory for the managing owner (manager) of a horse to notify Racing Australia when their horse has been retired. Trainers are encouraged to inform managing owners that this mandatory retirement notification can be made by lodging the new Retirement of Racehorses or Death Notification Form which is available on the Racing Australia website – www.racingaustralia.horse.com.au – under the ‘Registrar of Racehorses/Forms’ tab. The form must be completed and submitted within 30 days of the horse’s retirement. The new form requires the managing owner to state why the horse has been retired and what is going to happen to it post-racing (for example, equestrian, breeding, or livestock sales). Once a horse is retired, it will be ineligible to race without the permission of the stewards. Deceased racehorses – responsibility of trainers Australian Rule of Racing AR.64J has been amended to make it clear that where a horse has not been retired and it dies, the trainer of the horse is required to notify Racing NSW (or the relevant state Principal Racing Authority) of the death. The trainer is required to lodge an amended stable return in relation to the deceased horse. When completing this stable return via Trainers and Racing Services Stable Assist service, trainers will be encouraged to advise the cause of death to further assist in gathering improved data. Importance of these initiatives The ARB, together with Racing NSW and the other state Principal Racing Authorities (PRAs), has introduced these rule changes in recognition of the fact that the retirement of racehorses is a vitally important welfare issue. The data gained by these reforms will provide the industry with greater insight into the reasons horses retire and their activities post racing, thus supplying statistics which can be used to better direct education and welfare initiatives, and be fed back to trainers and owners. These changes come at no cost to trainers or owners. Relevant rules AR.64JA (1) Where a horse has been retired from racing, the Manager (as defined in AR.1) of the horse at time of its retirement must, within one month of the horse’s retirement, notify the Racing Australia by lodging the relevant form prescribed by the Registrar. (2) Where a form has been lodged in accordance with AR 64JA(1), the retired horse will cease to be registered and is ineligible to race unless it is re-registered. (3) Where a horse ceases to be registered under this Rule, the horse may not be re-registered except with the express permission of the Stewards. (4) Any person who fails to comply with AR 64JA(1) commits a breach of these Rules and may be penalised. AR.64J (1) Upon the death of a horse which had not been retired, the trainer or his or her authorised agent must report the occurrence to the relevant Principal Racing Authority or their agent as soon as practicable. (2) In the event of the deceased horse being included in a current stable return the trainer must as soon as practicable lodge an amended stable return in relation to the death. (3) Any person who fails to comply with the provisions of sub-rules (1) or (2) commits a breach of these Rules unless he or she proves to the satisfaction of the Stewards that he or she was not aware, and could not reasonably have been aware, of the death of the horse.” Note: Training material has been loaded in Racing Australia Stable Assist for trainers to assist with this process RIGHT OF APPEAL WHEN NO PENALTY IS ISSUED – AR 178 Notice : Racing NSW has determined, under the powers granted by s42 of the Thoroughbred Racing Act 1996, that there is a right of appeal to the Appeal Panel against a finding by the Stewards of guilt under AR178 even if unaccompanied by a penalty of suspension, disqualification or a fine of more than $10. Note: after this, there is no further right of appeal to the Racing Appeals Tribunal. AR178 reads: When any horse that has been brought to a racecourse for the purpose of engaging in a race and a prohibited substance is detected in any sample taken from it prior to or following its running in any race, the trainer and any other person who was in charge of such horse at any relevant time may be penalised. TRAINERS AND RACING SERVICES The Trainers And Racing Services voice records all telephone transactions. The voice recording system is used to verify disputed transactions (e.g. horse in wrong race, rider not declared). Trainers should always record the name of the operator and time of the call so that in the event of a dispute, the voice recording system can be used to verify the transaction. Disputed transactions will not be considered where the trainer is unable to supply either the name of the operator and time the call was made. APPROVED GEAR FOR TRIALS AND RACES For a complete list of gear approved for use in Barrier Trials and Races please refer to the National Gear Register that can be found at www.racingnsw.com.au . Simply select the Rules & policies, then Stewards policies followed by approved gear. Trainers are advised that horses being passed to race either having their first trial or passing an embargo must race in such gear as they barrier trial in. It is the trainers responsibility to effect such gear declaration with the Trainers Service Centre. BLINKERS 1. An unraced horse, when initially passed to race wearing blinkers in a trial, must retain that gear unless retrialled without blinkers and notification of removal is received by the Trainers And Racing Services prior to the declaration of acceptance. 2. A horse may race with blinkers and a nose roll or with side winkers and a nose roll provided that any unraced horse or any 2-year-old must trial to the satisfaction of Stewards in an official trial wearing such gear prior to permission being granted to race with that gear. 3. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, permission to race in blinkers will not be granted when a horse has been approved three times to race in blinkers and subsequently races without them. 4. All applications for the addition or removal of blinkers must be made to the Stewards via the Trainers And Racing Services no later than acceptance time for any race in which it is intended to start. PRE-TRAINING OF RACEHORSES New Local Rule 39A has been introduced, effective 1 May, 2014. LR39A A trainer must adhere to the following conditions pertaining to the pre-training of racehorses (i) The notified trainer of a horse shall ensure that any horse being pre-trained must be returned to his/her care, control and supervision at his/her registered stable address no later than two weeks prior to such horse competing in an official trial and no later than one month prior to it competing in a race. (ii) The trainer shall ensure that the owner of a horse being pre trained is fully acquainted with the details of the pre-training arrangement including the location of the horse and with a full disclosure of the associated costs. (iii) Should any provisions of sub rules (1) and (2) not be complied with the trainer concerned may be penalised and the Racing NSW may withdraw such horse from any trial or race engagement. SECURITY - STABLING It is the responsibility of all trainers involved in communal or shared stabling arrangements to provide adequate security for their horses. Trainers are further advised that no allowances whatsoever will be made for these trainers involved in such stabling arrangements if required to satisfy the onus placed on them by the Rules of Racing to show that they took all proper precautions to prevent the administration of a prohibited substance to a horse in their care. Trainers are further reminded of the provisions of AR56A(b) which states:- “AR56A: No horse, if in Australia, shall be entered for or run in any race or organised trial unless: (b) it is stabled in accordance with the conditions of such licence or permit". The stable address provided on a trainers licence annual licence renewal form shall be deemed to be the registered stables of such trainer for the purpose of this rule. TRACKWORK REGULATIONS Approved skull caps, safety vests and riding boots or other approved footwear must be worn by all persons at all times when riding to and from racecourses or training tracks, when riding work, exercising horses or leading horses from another horse. Skull caps must be properly fastened at all times. Every person when mounted on a horse during darkness must have affixed to his helmet an approved safety warning light. Horses being led or exercised on all Racecourses must have a bit in their mouth. Failure by any trainer or attendant to comply with these directions may lead to action being taken by the Stewards. A rider shall not when mounted on a horse use any telephone, radio or other electronic appliance, apparatus, instrument or equipment capable of receiving, transmitting or playing information, unless permitted by the stewards (AR82). REFLECTIVE VESTS/STRIPS The following rule is provided following the Board's approval of the mandatory wearing of reflective vests and reflective rugs, effective 1st April, 2004. LR80. A trainer must ensure that every horse in his care that is being led or ridden outside his/her stable premises on a public roadway or thoroughfare prior to sunrise wears a rug or other gear with reflective strips and that its rider or attendant wears a reflective vest of a design approved by the Stewards. HORSES TO TRIAL Any horse which has been barred from racing until it trials to the satisfaction of the Stewards must wear in that trial the gear that it is intended be worn at the horse’s next race start. GELDING OF AN ENTIRE When an entire is gelded, Australian Rule of Racing 53C describes the reporting actions required by the owner and or trainer to notify the event to the Stewards or Registrar of Racehorses, present the horses Document of Description for amendment and lodge an amended stable return. SPECIAL NOTICES AND CONDITIONS OF RACING 134 www.racingnsw.com.au SPECIAL NOTICES AND CONDITIONS OF RACING