Hopes that hurdle racing could be revived in Victoria received a boost on Monday with the announcement Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) will be making off-season changes to the modular hurdles.The prototype hurdle would be designed and developed with input from the Australian Jumps Racing Association before being put to rigorous testing involving key industry players.RVL chief executive Rob Hines said the changes would be made to a small number of the modular hurdles for assessment during the schoo
Hopes that hurdle racing could be revived in Victoria received a boost on Monday with the announcement Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) will be making off-season changes to the modular hurdles.
The prototype hurdle would be designed and developed with input from the Australian Jumps Racing Association before being put to rigorous testing involving key industry players.
RVL chief executive Rob Hines said the changes would be made to a small number of the modular hurdles for assessment during the schooling of horses.
Victorian hurdle racing has been suspended indefinitely after Judge David Jones, appointed to hold an independent review of jumps racing, advised RVL he had information which raised significant safety concerns about the modular hurdles.
"We are working with Judge Jones to ensure that we have a suitable evaluation process in place for the modified hurdles," Hines said.
"If we are successful with these modifications we will have sufficient time to school and trial horses over the new jumps prior to the start of next year's jumping season which is programmed to start in February 2009, notwithstanding any other issues that may arise from Judge Jones' review."
Judge Jones' recommendations will be put before RVL early next month.
Steeplechase races are still run in Victoria.
Victoria and South Australia are the only states which hold jumps racing.