RWWA is pleased to announce its continued commitment in applying various additional security and integrity measures by Stewards across both Harness and Thoroughbred for the upcoming carnivals.

These measures have been shown to be successful in ensuring the Integrity of racing during this feature time for WA and has been well received by the Industry and its supporters.

Those that support WA racing through their investments can be confident that these enhanced measures contribute to a successful carnival through competitive racing and a level playing field for all.

To that end the following measures will again be in place for the duration of these important carnivals for Harness (including the Tabtouch Interdominion Series) and Tabtouch Masters Championship.

  • Security Guards will once again be in place for all runners engaged in various feature races which include Railway Stakes, Winterbottom Stakes, Kingston Town Classic, Inter Dominions, Perth Cup, Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup.
  • Stewards, Investigators and RWWA Veterinarians will be considerably increasing the level of stable visitations and inspections of horses to ensure compliance with rules relevant to medications and records of treatment and that horses engaged are free of conditions that may affect them performing to their peak.
  • Considerable Out Of Competition Testing from all horses nominated for feature events.
  • All runners will be subject to pre-race sampling with additional post-race sampling also to apply. To facilitate this all horses engaged in feature events will be required to be on course no less than two hours prior to the event.
  • Significant TCO2 testing, including some post-race TCO2 testing, will also occur with all samples to also undergo additional screening at the discretion of Stewards for other substances. This will be in addition to I-Stat testing on-course which provides immediate indications of TCO2 levels.
  • All licensed persons involved are placed on notice that in reflection of the high quality nature of the races, there will be no tolerance or leniency with regard to any infringements of the rules relating to handling of horses, interference, crossing, flagrant whip breaches or other related racing matters. Higher penalties, including fines will be applied for any breaches of related rules.
  • Stewards will highlight to all Jockeys and Drivers the importance and expectations of them to ensure all races are run competitively, without incident and that a higher tariff of penalty will apply for offences arising from feature races.
  • Stewards will order the withdrawal of any horse that has been treated, or attempted to have been treated with any medication on race day in breach of the rules of racing with the persons concerned liable to further action.
  • Samples from winners will at the direction of the Stewards be made subject to long-term storage at the ChemCentre for retrospective analysis by them or other approved laboratories.

Recent improvements in vision technology has also provided Stewards with improved quality of vision and with the availability of the Hawkeye system to Stewards now in both equine codes, Stewards and participants are greatly assisted in their review of all races and incidents.

Drivers and Jockeys will also be reminded of the new GROUP AND LISTED RACING AND DEFERMENT OF PENALTY POLICY which includes higher base tariffs in such races and restrictions on postponement/deferment of penalties incurred in such races.

In particular there will be no deferment of driving suspensions arising from the Interdominion heats. To avoid being unable to continue in the series, Drivers should take every precaution to ensure they drive competitively but within the rules and ensure their actions do not adversely impact other horses contrary to the rules.

These extended measures form part of the annual investment in integrity of $8.1 million of which
$1.2 million is directed to swabbing which reinforces RWWA’s continuing support towards the maintenance of the Integrity of WA Racing.

Denis Borovica
General Manager Racing Integrity
RWWA