Champion Thoroughbreds | Champion Thoroughbreds News 63068 Information Bulletin Racing Victoria Amendments To Rules Of Racing

The Racing Victoria Board has approved the following amendments to the Victoria Local Rules of Racing.

AMENDMENT TO LOCAL RULES OF RACING: AR 2 Dictionary - Definition of Serious Offence removing AR 129(2), AR 227(b), AR 233(b), AR 240 (1) and (2) and AR 251.

Amendment to Serious Offences definition

SUMMARY OF AMENDMENT
As per current AR 2 (Dictionary) practice, offences such as Running and Handling (AR 129(2)), Breaches of the Rules (AR 227(b)), Other misconduct offences including harassment or bullying (AR 233(b)), Presentation offences (AR 240(1) and (2)), and Possession offences (AR 251) have historically been referred directly to the Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT). This practice has recently been the subject of review.

The reason being that often it is beneficial to both the participant and the RV Integrity to deliver swift justice and timely procedural fairness internally. Due to the VRT’s heavy case load, efficiency may not be achieved by the current practice of direct referral of these above offences to the VRT.

Therefore, consideration was given to the above charges to allow them to be heard in the first instance by RV Stewards, with discretion given to each case on its merits by all parties.

Accordingly, the Racing Victoria Board has approved the following Local Rule of Racing amendment effective from 1 July 2025.

AR 2 BE AMENDED AS FOLLOWS:
AR 2 Dictionary
…
Serious Offences
Serious Offence means an offence under, or breach of, one of the following rules:
(a) AR 255(1);
(b) AR 115(1)(c) and (e);
(c) AR 116;
(d) AR 236;
(e) AR 129(1),(2), (3) and (5); [(2) deleted 1/7/25] (f) AR 227(b); [deleted 1/7/25] (g) [deleted 1/2/24];
(h) AR 229(1)(a), (b), (c), (d);
(i) AR 231(1)(a) and (b),(2)(a) and (b),(3);
(j) [deleted 1/2/24];
(k) AR 233(b); [deleted 1/7/25] (l) AR 237(1),(2) and (4)-(7);
(m) AR 240(1) and (2); [deleted 1/7/25] (n) [deleted 22/11/21] (o) AR 242;
(p) AR 244;
(q) AR 245(1);
(r) AR 246;
(s) AR 247;
(t) AR 249;
(u) AR 251; [deleted 1/7/25] and
(v) [deleted 1/2/24];
(w) LR 94C.

• [Serious Offence definition part (a) amended 23/4/19]
• [Serious Offence definition (g), (h), (k), (l) amended 22/11/21]
• [Serious Offence definition (g), (j), (v) amended 1/2/24]
• [Serious Offence definition (w) added 1/2/24]
• [Serious Offence definition (e), (f), (k), (m) and (u) amended 1/7/25]

Amendment effective from 1 July 2025

Source: Racing Victoria

http://rv.racing.com/racing-and-integrity/rules-of-racing