Policies

To complement the work of the Stewards’ Department, Racing SA has in place a range of policies and protocols designed to increase compliance with equine welfare best practices. It has also identified a number of strategic imperatives to ensure continued improvement and an ongoing focus on participant welfare.

• A Hot Weather Policy is in place to protect the welfare of horses racing at all South Australian racecourses and training venues during hot weather. The full policy can be viewed here.
• A Lightning Safety Protocol is in place to protect the welfare of participants in horse racing at all South Australian racecourses and training venues during potential lightning events. The full protocol can be viewed here.

• The testing strategies and sampling regime implemented by the Stewards’ Department continue to be a critical element in protecting the health and welfare of horses, the safety of riders, providing a level playing field for all participants, and maintaining the confidence of the betting public and the broader community
• For the past three years, Racing SA has tested an average of 2,855 horse samples for banned substances each year. The rate of banned substance detection remains consistently low, with an average of 0.19% of tested samples returning a positive result over the corresponding period.
• Over the same period, Racing SA tested an average of 292 riders (urine and/ or breathalyser) for banned substances each year, with 2.3% of tested samples returning a positive result.

While the rate of fatalities in flat racing is low, Thorough Care SA remains committed to reducing the incidence of horse deaths attributable to racing incidents.

Racing SA Stewards conduct a range of activities designed to assess the health and fitness of thoroughbreds for racing to help prevent catastrophic limb injuries and reduce the rate of raceday fatalities.

Ensuring compliance with these established best practices, including conducting barrier trials and attending trackwork, continues to be a focus for the Stewards’ Department moving forward as Racing SA strives to make racing safer for all participants.

The appointment of an Industry Racecourse Manager is another example of Thorough Care SA committing to equine welfare best practice by ensuring optimal racing surfaces can be achieved at a consistently high level across racing clubs.