Jockey Health  

The following substances are banned for all riders: 

•  LSD 

•  All barbiturates 

•  GHB - G, little G 

•  Cannabis - Marijuana, hash, hashish 

•  All diuretics 

•  Lasix 

•  Frusemide 

•  Moduretic 

•  Midamor 

•  Aldactone 

•  Spiractin 

•  Chlotride 

•  Hydrothiazide Probenicid - Agent used for treating gout which works as a masking agent.

•  Alcohol – If reading > 0.02% on breath alcohol content (BAC)

Stimulants - Illicit Group:

•  Amphetamines 

•  Methamphetamine (speed, crystal meth, ICE) 

•  Cocaine 

•  Ecstasy 

•  Ephedrine 

Note: Stimulant substances excluded in this group are Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), Levo amphetamine, Levo-methylamphetamine (Vicks Vapor Inhaler), Phenylpropranolamine (PPA).

Anorectics (Appetite Suppressants): 

•  Phentermine (Duromine) 

•  Diethylproprion (Tenuate Dospan / Anorex / Tenuate / Linea / Nobesine / Prefamone / Regenon / Tepanil) 

•  Sibutramine (Reductil)

•  Opiates / Opioids - Illicit Group: 

•  Heroin (crack, H) 

•  Prescription / OTC group 

•  Morphine 

•  Kapanol (oral form) 

•  Codeine (Panadeine / Panadeine forte / Codapane / Codalgin) 

•  Oxycodone (Oxycontin / Roxicodone / Endone) 

•  Fentanyl (Actiq / Durogesic / Fentora / Sublimaze / Instanil) 

•  Alfentanil (Alfenta / Rapifen) 

•  Pethidine 

•  Methadone 

•  Hydromorphone (Laudicon / Opidol / Palladone) 

•  Buprenorphine (Bupe / Suboxone) 

•  Pholcodine (Codeine based cough mixture in linctus form) 

•  Propoxyphene (Di-Gesic / Darvon) 

•  Dihydrocodeine (Rikodeine cough mixture) 

•  Dextromorphan (Cough mixture)

Allowances with Opiates: 

If level of codeine/morphine is below a certain level. If on confirmatory testing the range is appropriate and the ration of codeine to morphine is > 1.0 or the rider satisfies stewards that there is no illegal use.

Dissociative Anaesthetics - Illicit Group: 

•  Ketamine (K / Special K) 

•  Prescription group 

•  Ketamine (K /Special K) 

•  Phencyclidine 

•  Tiletamine 

•  Tryptamine derivatives

•  Diethyltryptamine (DMT) 

•  Alphamethyltryptamine (AMT) 

•  Hydroxydimethyltryptamine (HMT) 

•  All Benzodiazepines (BDZ) 

•  Diazepam (Valium / Antenex) 

•  Nordiazepam Oxazepam (Serepax) 

•  Temazepam (Temaze / Normison) 

•  Alprazolam (Xanax / Zannys / Bricks) 

•  Clonazepam (Paxam / Rivotril) 

•  Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol / Rohys) 

•  Nitrazepam (Mogadon) 

•  Bromazepam (Lexotan / Lexys) 

•  Flumazenil (Mazicon, Romazicon) 

•  Lorazepam (Ativan)

•  Midazolam (Hypnovel) 

•  Triazolam (Halcion / Trilam / Hypam) 

•  Benzodiazepine ‘like’ drugs - Zolpidem (Stilnox / Noxys), Zopiclone (Immovane), Zalplon (Sonata / Starnoc)

Tell your doctor the following drugs are prohibited (not allowed):

•  Amphetamine* and related substances

•  Barbiturates*, Codeine, morphine and other S8 narcotics* 

•  Anorectics (phentermine, diethylpropion, sibutramine) 

•  Diuretics* (frusemide, hydrochlorthiazide, indapamide and others)

•  Benzodiazepines* and benzodiazepine receptor agonists*

•  Dissociative Anaesthetics (ketamine), Uricosurics (probenecid)* 

*Under some circumstances these may be permitted if prescribed by your doctor who must be willing and able to certify your fitness to ride while taking the particular drug prescribed. Use of these medicines should be cleared with the Stewards prior to riding.

If you believe that you may have a substance use/abuse issue you can confidentially contact: 

•  Lisa Stevens 0413 616 152 

•  Turning Point 24/7 counselling and information Direct Line: 1800 888 236

There is a risk that supplements may contain: 

•  Ingredients not listed on the label which could result in a positive test; or

•  Impurities introduced at a manufacturing stage which could result in a positive test

If you are taking over-the-counter supplements, (e.g. vitamin supplement, “health food” products, herbal preparations, supplements to aid in weight loss, etc.) purchased from places such as a pharmacy, health shop or supermarket, check the product's contents for substances listed in AR 136. 

If unsure, refer the product to your pharmacist or doctor for advice. 

Do NOT use it until you are certain it does not contain any banned substance(s). 

Do NOT use any medication provided to you by other people without seeking professional advice about the substance and finding out if it contains any banned substance(s). 

Do NOT use medications, supplements or products obtained from overseas without seeking professional advice about the substance and finding out whether it contains any banned substance(s). 

Do NOT assume you can trust the label on any non-scheduled medication, supplement or herbal product. If in any doubt have it checked by a professional and if necessary have the contents analysed. Analysis can be arranged through Racing Analytical Services for a fee. 

Even if manufacturers guarantee the ingredients in their product, or that the use of their product will not result in a positive test, it is still your responsibility if a prohibited substance is detected. 

Under AR 139 riders are responsible for any substance found in their body, whether the substance was taken with or without your knowledge.

Riders subject to testing should avoid the use of supplements as they pose significant risks. 

Supplements may intentionally contain prohibited substances or they may be inadvertently contaminated with prohibited substances. It is your responsibility to know what is in anything you are taking.

Racing Victoria wishes to advise riders against the use of supplements, particularly those containing Geranamine.

A warning about supplements containing Geranamine was issued by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) in 2009. Geranamine is a concentrated extract of Geranium oil and is credited with stimulant and fat-burning properties. 

A constituent of Geranamine is methylhexanamine which is categorised as a prohibited stimulant under the AR 136. 

Riders subject to testing should avoid the use of supplements as they pose significant risks. Supplements may intentionally contain prohibited substances or they may be inadvertently contaminated with prohibited substances. 

It is your responsibility to know what is in anything you are taking.

The following list guidelines for the use of Analgesics (painkillers) and Cold and Flu Medicines. The cough, cold and flu preparations and analgesics (pain killers) listed below are unlikely to lead to a breach of AR 139 if used according to the directions on the package. 

Note: Any product with the word codeine as part of its name may not be safe to use. Be wary of products with a name which ends in the letters “deine” e.g. Panadeine. Read the label carefully and if in doubt seek appropriate advice from your doctor. 

Note: Pseudoephedrine is no longer banned by AR 136. The availability of this substance is now restricted to small pack sizes and low doses. 

Cough, Cold and Flu Preparations: The following preparations are unlikely to lead to a breach of AR 139. 

•  Actifed Cough 

•  Benadry products (All) 

•  Bisolvon Dry Oral Liquid 

•  Cepacol Cough plus 

•  Chemists' Own Cough products (NOT Dry Cough, Cold & Flu Day/Night, Cold & Flu 

•  Relief Tablets, Expectalix Expectorant Cough Mixture)

•  Chemists' Own Coldeze Tablets 

•  Chemists' Own Ibuprofen (BUT NOT Chemists' Own Ibuprofen Plus Codeine) 

•  Chemists' Own Paracetamol 500mg Tablets

•  Chemists' Own Sinus pain Relief Tablets (BUT NOT ANY OTHER Chemists' Own products) 

•  Codral Original Cold & Flu + Cough Day & Night Capsules 

•  Codral Original Chesty Cough Liquicaps Codral Original Dry Cough Liquicaps (BUT NOT ANY OTHER Codral products) 

•  Demazin Cold and Flu Tablets 

•  Demazin Day & Night Cold & Flu 

•  Demazin Cough and Cold Syrup 

•  Demazin Cough Cold and Flu Tablets 

•  Difflam products (All) 

•  Dimetapp products (All)

•  Duro Tuss products (All) 

•  Gold Cross Paracetamol Tablets (BUT NOT Gold Cross Codeine Linctus) 

•  Lemsip products (All)

•  Logicin products Nurofen products (BUT NOT Nurofen Plus) 

•  Nyal products Panadol products (All) 

•  Parke Davis Day & Night Cold & Flu Rikodeine (An exception to the warning about products ending in “deine”) 

•  Robitussin products (All) 

•  Sinutab products (All) 

•  Sudafed products (All)

•  Tixylix products (All) 

•  Tussinol products (All) 

•  Vicks products 

Analgesics (Painkillers): 

These fall into two categories, those which can be purchased in a pharmacy or shop and those which require a prescription from a doctor or dentist etc. For those which require a prescription you should inform your doctor that you work in the racing industry and are subject to drug testing under the rules of racing.

Analgesics (painkillers) requiring a prescription. The following preparations are unlikely to lead to a breach of AR 136: 

•  Aclin

•  Anagraine 

•  Anaprox APO - Tramadol, Arcoxia, Arthrexin, Brufen, Capadex, Celebrex, Cepacaine 

•  Chemmart Diclofenac 

•  Chemmart Piroxicam 

•  Chemmart Piroxicam Dispersible Tablets 

•  Chemmart Tramadol

•  Codox

•  Crysanal

•  Dichlohexal

•  Digesic

•  Dinac

•  Doloxene

•  Durotram XR

•  Dynastat

•  Feldene

•  Feldene GelFenac

•  GennRx Tramadol

•  Indocid

•  Inza

•  Lodam and Lodam SR

•  Mobilis

•  Naprosyn and Naprosyn SR

•  Orudis

•  Oruvail SR

•  Neurolasts

•  Pirohexal-D

•  Proxen SR

•  Rafen

•  Surgam 

•  Terry White Chemists Piroxicam Capsules 

•  Terry White Chemists Tramadol Capsules

•  Tramal

•  Tramhexal Injection

•  Tramhexal SR Injection

•  Tramedo and Tramedo SR 

•  Voltaren 

•  Zydol 

Analgesics (Painkillers – Over the Counter): 

The following preparations are unlikely to lead to a breach of AR 136. 

•  Advil Liquicaps or Tablets 

•  Aleve 

•  Alka-Seltzer

•  Anagrain 

•  APO Paracetamol

•  Aspro product 

•  Bayer Aspirin Extra Strength

•  Bugesic and Bugesic Oral Suspension

•  Butalgin

•  Cepacaine Chemists' Own Ibuprofen Tablets 

•  Chemists' Own Paracetamol 500mg Tablets (or Capseals) 

•  Chemists' Own Pain & Fever Drops 

•  Chemists' Own Period Pain Tablets 

•  Chemists' Own Sinus Relief

•  Codox

•  Disprin

•  Duatrol

•  Duatrol SR

•  Dymadon P 

•  Eazydayz Tablets 

•  Ecotrin 

•  Febridol Tablets 

•  Febridol Clear Effervescent Soluble Tablets 

•  Femme-free 

•  Gold Cross Ibuprofen 

•  Gold Cross Paracetamol 

•  Herron Blue Ibuprofen 

•  Herron Paracetamol 

•  Hexal Diclac Anti-inflammatory Tablets 

•  Inflac 

•  Lemsip products 

•  Logicin Rapid Relief Lozenges 

•  Metomax 

•  Naprogesic Nurofen products (NOT Nurofen Plus) 

•  Nurolasts 

•  Panadol products 

•  Panafen (NOT Panafen Plus)

•  Panamax (NOT Panamax Co) 

•  Paracetamol Sandoz 

•  Paracetamol Soluble Tablets

•  Paralgin

•  Parmol 

•  Perfalgan 

•  Pharmacy Choice Paracetamol 

•  ProVen (NOT ProVen SR) 

•  Solprin 

•  Terry White Chemists Paracetamol 

•  Tri-Profen 

•  Voltaren Rapid 12.5 and Voltaren Rapid 25. 

Ear, Nose and Throat Preparations:

The following preparations are unlikely to lead to a breach of AR 136: 

•  Applicaine Drops 

•  Auralgan Otic and Ear Drops 

•  Azep Nasal Spray 

•  Beconase Allergy & Hay Fever/12 Hour and 24 Hour 

•  Bonjela 

•  Cepacaine 

•  Cepacol Anti-bacterial Throat Lozenges/Mini Mouthwash / Plus with Anaesthetic/Solution 

•  Chemists' Own Decongestant Nasal Spray

•  Curash Family Oral Pain Relieving Gel 

•  Daktarin Oral Gel 

•  Difflam products (All) 

•  Dimetapp 12 Hour Nasal Spray 

•  Drixine Nasal

•  Ear Clear products 

•  Logicin Rapid Relief Lozenges and Nasal Spray Medijel

•  Nasalate Nose Drops 

•  Nilstat Oral Drops 

•  N-Statin Oral Drops 

•  Nyal products

•  Oral-eze Dental Emergency Toothache Medication 

•  Ora-Sed Gel 

•  Otrivin 

•  Savalcol products 

•  Seda Lotion Seda-Gel SM-33 Adult Formula

•  SM-33 Gel 

•  Spray Tish/Menthol 

•  Strepfen Intensive 

•  Strepsils products (All) 

•  Vicks products 

•  Xylocaine 10% Pump Spray

•  Xylocaine 10% Special Adhesive 

Disclaimer: This list has been compiled as a guide to products unlikely to lead to a breach of AR 139. While all reasonable care has been taken to ensure its accuracy as at August 2017, it may not refer to all available products and it is your responsibility to seek medical advice before using any of the listed products.

Riders, if you believe that you may have a substance use/abuse issue you can confidentially contact: 

Lisa Stevens - 0413 616 152 

Turning Point 24/7 counselling & information Direct Line - 1800 888 236

Drug Name:  Alcohol 

Drug Type: Depressant 

Facts for Parents: 25% of 8th graders have admitted to being intoxicated at least once.

Other Names: Beer, wine, liquor, cooler, malt liquor, booze 

How Consumed: Orally 

Effects: Addiction (alcoholism), dizziness, nausea, vomiting, hangovers, slurred speech, disturbed sleep, impaired motor skills, violent behavior, fetal alcohol syndrome, respiratory depression and death (high doses).

Drug Name: Amphetamines 

Drug Type: Stimulant 

Facts for Parents: Chronic use can induce psychosis with symptoms similar to schizophrenia. 

Other Names: Speed, uppers, ups, hearts, black beauties, pep pills, capilots, bumble bees, Benzedrine, Dexedrine, footballs, biphetamine 

How Consumed: Orally, injected, snorted, or smoked

Effects: Addiction, irritability, anxiety, increased blood pressure, paranoia, psychosis, depression, aggression, convulsions, dilated pupils, dizziness, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, malnutrition. Increased risk of exposure to HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases if injected.

Drug Name: Methamphetamines 

Drug Type: Stimulant 

Facts for Parents: Some users avoid sleep 3 to 15 days.

Other Names: Speed, meth, crank, crystal, ice, fire, croak, crypto, white cross, glass. "Ice" is the street name for the smokeable form. 

How Consumed: Orally, injected, snorted, or smoked 

Effects: Addiction, irritability, aggression, hypothermia, stroke, paranoia, psychosis, convulsions, heart and blood vessel toxicity, hallucinations, arrhythmia, formication (the sensation of insects creeping on or under your skin).

Drug Name: Ecstasy 

Drug Type: Stimulants

Facts for Parents: Ecstasy is popular at all-night underground parties (called raves) and is the most common designer drug. 

Other Names: XTC, Adam, MDMA 

How Consumed: Orally 

Effects: Psychiatric disturbances, including panic, anxiety, depression, and paranoia. Muscle tension, nausea, blurred vision, sweating, increased heart rate, tremors, hallucinations, fainting, chills, sleep problems, and reduced appetite

Drug Name: Ritalin 

Drug Type: Stimulant 

Facts for Parents: Some children buy or steal from their classmates

Other Names: Speed, west coast

How Consumed: Tablet is crushed, and the powder is snorted or injected. 

Effects: Loss of appetite, fevers, convulsions, and severe headaches. Increased risk of exposure to HIV, hepatitis, and other infections. Paranoia, hallucinations, excessive repetition of movements and meaningless tasks, tremors, muscle twitching.

Drug Name: Herbal Ecstasy/Ephedrine 

Drug Type: Herbal Ecstasy, Cloud 9, Rave Energy, Ultimate, Xphoria, and X 

Facts for Parents: The active ingredients in Herbal Ecstasy are caffeine and ephedrine. 

How Consumed: Orally 

Effects: Increased heart rate and blood pressure. Seizures, heart attacks, stroke, and death.

Drug Name: Designer Drugs 

Drug Type: Stimulants 

Facts for Parents: Changing the molecular structure of an existing drug or drugs to create a new substance creates Designer drugs. 

Other Names: Synthetic heroin, goodfella How Consumed: Injected, sniffed, or smoked. 

Effects: Instant respiratory paralysis. Potency creates strong possibility for overdose, many of the same effects as heroin.

Drug Name: Cocaine 

Drug Type: Stimulant 

Facts for Parents: Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug. Heavy use may produce paranoia, hallucinations, aggression, insomnia, and depression. 

Other Names: Coke, snow, nose candy, flake, blow, big C, lady, white, snowbirds. 

How Consumed: Snorted or dissolved in water and injected. 

Effects: Addiction, pupil dilation, elevated blood pressure and heart rate. Increased respiratory rate, seizures, heart attack, insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, increased body temperature, death from overdose.

Drug Name: Crack 

Drug Type: Stimulant 

Facts for Parents: A cheaper form of cocaine that may be more addicting. 

Other Names: Rock, freebase 

Effects: Same as cocaine

Drug Name: Heroin 

Drug Type: Opiates 

Facts for Parents: Heroin users quickly develop a tolerance to the drug and need more and more of it to get the same effects, or even to feel well. 

Other Names: Smack, horse, mud, brown, sugar, junk, black tar, big H, dope. 

Effects: Addiction. Slurred speech, slow gait, constricted pupils, droopy eyelids, impaired night vision, nodding off, respiratory depression or failure, dry itching skin, and skin infections. Increased risk of exposure to HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases if injected.

Drug Name: PCP 

Drug Type: Hallucinogens 

Facts for Parents: Marijuana joints can be dipped into PCP without the smoker's knowledge. 

Other Names: Angel dust, ozone, rocket fuel, peace pill, elephant tranquilizer, dust. 

How Consumed: Snorted, smoked, orally, or injected. 

Effects: Hallucinations. Out-of-body experiences, impaired motor coordination, inability to feel physical pain, respiratory attack, disorientation, fear, panic, aggressive behavior. Increased risk of exposure to HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases if injected. Death.

Drug Name: LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)

Drug Type: Hallucinogen 

Facts for Parents: LSD is the most common hallucinogen. LSD tabs are often decorated with colorful designs or cartoon characters. 

Other Names: Acid, microdot, tabs, doses, trips, hits, sugar cubes. 

How Consumed: Tabs taken orally or gelatin/liquid put in eyes.

Effects: Elevated body temperature and blood pressure, suppressed appetite, sleeplessness, tremors, chronic recurring hallucinations.

Drug Name: Mushrooms 

Drug Type: Hallucinogens

Facts for Parents: Many mushroom users purchase hallucinogenic mushroom spores via mail order. 

Other Names: Shrooms, caps, magic mushrooms. How Consumed: Eaten or brewed and drunk in tea. 

Effects: Increased blood pressure, sweating, nausea, hallucinations.

Drug Name: Inhalants 

Facts for Parents: Hundreds of legal household products can be sniffed or huffed to get high. All inhalants can be toxic. 

Other Names: Laughing gas, whippets, aerosol sprays, cleaning fluids, solvents. 

How Consumed: Vapors are inhaled 

Effects: Headache, muscle weakness, abdominal pain, severe mood swings and violent behavior, nausea, nose bleeds; liver, lung, and kidney damage; dangerous chemical imbalances in the body, lack of coordination, fatigue, loss of appetite, decreases in heart and respiratory rates, hepatitis, or peripheral neuropathy from long-term use.

Drug Name: Cannabis –Marijuana 

Facts for Parents: The average age of first use is 14. Can be smoked using homemade pipes and bongs made from soda cans or plastic beverage containers. 

Other Names: Weed, pot, reefer, grass, dope, ganja, Mary Jane, sinsemilla, herb, Aunt Mary, skunk, boom, kif, gangster, chronic, 420. 

How Consumed: Smoked or eaten. 

Effects: Bloodshot eyes, dry mouth, impaired or reduced comprehension, altered sense of time, reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination --such as driving a car, paranoia, intense anxiety attacks, altered cognition, making acquisition of new information difficult; impairments in learning, memory, perception, and judgment; difficulty speaking, listening effectively, thinking, retaining knowledge, problem solving.

Drug Name: Steroids 

Facts for Parents: Steroid users subject themselves to more than 70 % potentially harmful side effects. 

Other Names: Rhoids, juice 

How Consumed: Orally or injected into muscle 

Effects: Liver cancer Sterility, masculine traits in women and feminine traits in men, aggression, depression, acne, mood swings.

Drug Name: Tobacco 

Facts for Parents: 1 in 5 12th graders is a daily smoker. 

How Consumed: Cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco (chew, dip, and snuff). 

Effects: Addiction, heart disease, cancer of the lung, larynx, esophagus, bladder, pancreas, kidney, and mouth. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis, spontaneous abortion, low birth weight.

If you believe that you may have an issue with alcohol that may make it difficult to comply with the .02 rule, or if you have an issue with other drugs, confidential professional assistance can be accessed through the free services of Turning Point and Direct Line or through the Jockey Assistance Program. 

Turning Point /Direct Line
If you or someone you care about has an alcohol or drug problem, call DirectLine. 1800 888 236 DirectLine provides 24-hour, 7-day counselling, information and referral. At DirectLine, you can talk to professional counsellors who are experienced in alcohol and drug-related matters. DirectLine is free, anonymous and confidential. 

For further information see websites:

www.directline.org.au

www.turningpoint.org.au

Jockey Assistance Program 

Contact Jockey Assistance Program psychologist Lisa Stevens on 0413 616 152 or lisa@racingmind.info for confidential assistance and referral.

All licensed riders and registered horse handlers are subject to the drug and alcohol restrictions specified in Australian Rules of Racing AR139 and AR142. A full copy of the Rules can be obtained here or upon request from the Integrity Department.

The rules proscribe a range of banned substances and maximum allowable limits for certain other substances including a maximum alcohol breath analysis level of 0.02%. 

Racing Victoria Stewards conduct a random drug and alcohol testing program to enforce these restrictions during race day, trials and track work. 

Important Note: Any Rider that provides a sample which upon analysis contains a banned substance, will be stood down from performing their duties effective immediately. 

Further specifications on drugs and alcohol in the work place are detailed in the WorkSafe publication Horse Stables and Track Riding Safety which is a guide to the employers and employees of stables and training facilities.

To ensure racing and trial  activities are supported by best practice medical services. In addition, raceday incidents are appropriately reported and investigated, and injured licensed jockeys  supported via compensation, medical treatment and rehabilitation services.

Medical Services

Arrangements are in place to ensure that medical services are readily available to respond to any injuries occurring during racing and trialling.

In the case of race meetings, Racing Victoria (RV) has contracted VTR Medical to provide a Raceday Medical Service which focuses on providing immediate critical care to injured jockeys and raceday staff. For a standard meeting, this comprises providing a Medical Practitioner who is acts as the Raceday Doctor. 

Raceday Doctors travel in the paramedic vehicle behind the race field, supported by paramedic and first responder team members. This model sees a shift from patient transportation as the primary element of the service model, to a greater focus on medical skills and critical care. In the event of serious injury, Ambulance Victoria emergency services are activated to assist in the movement of an injured jockey or raceday staff member from the racetrack to a hospital. 

Medical services are also provided for official trials, where a paramedic vehicle is supplied which is equipped to a level in excess of a standard paramedic ambulance and supported by first responders

The provision of medical services during training varies, depending on the scale of activity; however, the minimum standard outlined in the WorkSafe publication for all training centres to operate is the provision of a track work supervisor who is a Level 2 qualified First Aid Officer with many having higher level services. 

Incident and Injury Reporting

Notifiable race track Incidents are reported to Worksafe by RV Integrity Services Department. All raceday and trials incidents, however, are reported to RV Risk Management Department for recording, investigation, review of corrective actions and trend analysis.

WorkCover 

Injured licensed jockeys are provided with assistance in lodging a WorkCover claim, payment of medical accounts and compensation pay if they are unable to continue their normal work for a period of time. If they are unable to resume normal duties, RV will provide the necessary assistance for injured workers to remain at work, or return to work as soon as it is safely possible. 

Injured licensed jockeys together with their representatives and their treating Medical Practitioners will be involved in all aspects of their return to work, and consulted during the development and review of their return to work plans. 

The following restrictions apply to licensed jockeys and apprentices: 

• All riders are to be engaged for no more than 10 rides per day
• All apprentices that ride at night meetings are required to have a minimum of 10 hours off before resuming work 
• No apprentice shall accept rides for more than 6 consecutive days (a 7th day may be granted in extraordinary circumstances)
• Further each apprentice jockey shall have a minimum of 2 days without race riding in a 14 day period

When race meetings are held in hot weather, a number of measures are put into place to assist jockeys and industry employees cope with the conditions including: 

• The operation of air conditioning or fans in jockey change rooms
• The availability of a plentiful supply of water and / or re-hydration sports drinks available in the change rooms and at the starting barriers
• A reduction in the usual mounting yard parade, barrier loading and post-race return procedures to minimise the time that jockeys and industry employees are exposed to the hot conditions
   

Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards and on-course medical staff continuously monitor the weather conditions and the fitness of the jockeys throughout race day to ensure their collective and individual capability to ride each race. 

As in the case of the policy relating to the welfare of horses, the Stewards retain the right to cancel or suspend a meeting if the combination of temperature, humidity and air movement represent an unacceptable set of conditions.

Monitoring and hydration practices are also in place to protect the welfare of industry officials, including clerks of the course and barrier attendants. 

The conduct of racing during other extreme weather conditions such as high winds and electrical storms are assessed by the RV Stewards based on meteorological reports and the overriding need to provide a safe environment for all participants. Again, they retain the right to cancel or suspend a meeting if conditions are deemed to be unsafe. 

To protect the safety of jockeys and other industry participants by compulsory requirements to wear safety gear and to set minimum gear standards.

Australian Rules of Racing (AR 122-123) oblige jockeys and track riders to wear helmets, safety vests and footwear that meet approved specified safety standards. 

Clerks of the course and barrier attendants are also required to wear safety gear including boots, helmets and safety vests. Occupational Health and Safety legislation specifies that where provided, employees must wear supplied safety equipment and clothing, better known as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Further specifications on safety gear requirements are detailed in the WorkSafe publication Horse Stables and Track Riding Safety which is a guide to the employers and employees of stables and training facilities. 

Racing Victoria works closely with Racing Australia and interstate and international racing authorities to ensure that the standards of safety gear are maintained and continually kept under review.

This policy establishes eligibility criteria and access to a Jockey Maternity Support Program (JMSP). 

This policy applies to pregnant Victorian jockeys who have been licensed in Victoria for 12 months prior to ceasing riding under the Rules of Racing.

To view the full policy click here.

Ron Hall 
Jockey Wellbeing and Safety Officer 
M: 0411 646 160 
E: r.hall@racingvictoria.net.au

Matthew Hyland 
Victoria Jockeys Association
M: 0408 753 951 
E: matthew.hyland@vja.net.au