COUNTDOWN IS WELL AND TRULY ON TO THE START OF RACING VICTORIA'S JUMP SEASON

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, February 23, 2021

The countdown has started for those racing enthusiasts who like a change of pace and a different kind of race.

The start of the 2021 jumps racing season in Victoria is now just two weeks away and fans can diarise March 8 as the kick-off date when a Maiden Hurdle, and Open Hurdle (both over 3200m) and a BM125 Steeplechase (over 3450m) will take place Warrnambool.

Racing Victoria has approved a jumps season program of nineteen race-days offering over $3.9 million in prize-money. Horses who register their first jumps career win will be eligible for a $10 000 bonus.

A total of 64 jumps races – 41 hurdles and 23 steeplechases – have been programmed over a six-month period.

Warrnambool’s famous Racing Carnival will take place from May 4-6.

Two meetings, on July 18 at Pakenham, and on August 29 at Ballarat, will be all-jumps race-days. The August 29 meeting … the Grand National Steeplechase Day … will be the concluding fixture on this year’s Victorian jumps racing calendar.

When Racing Victoria announced confirmed details of the jumps racing season back in January, RV General Manager, International and Racing Operations, Paul Bloodworth put the solid level of prize-money on offer for jump racing participants, as well as the increased safety measures for runners and riders, into perspective.

“This significant investment is testimony to the health of jumps racing in Victoria, and the participants and communities that support the sport,” said Butterworth.

“Safety improvements are also an important focus each jump’s racing season, and it’s great, that following the successful trial of the ‘One Fit Hurdles’, we can start to introduce the light-weight hurdles at jumps race meetings in 2021 to further improve conditions for rider and horse.”