Owner News & TROA Media Releases

Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association (TROA) Chairman, Jonathan Munz, has slammed the management and board of Racing Victoria (RVL) in relation to a new 1% levy on prizemoney and called for board and management change. The new 1% levy will equate to around $3 million a year and is proposed to be used to subsidise horse trainers for workcover insurance premium blowouts and introduce programs to otherwise help them, including helping control and manage those claims.

The Victorian Thoroughbred Owners Association (TROA) has gone public to join the chorus of industry participants slamming Racing Victoria for its recent actions and policies. TROA Chairman, Jonathan Munz, one of Australia’s leading owners and breeders,  made the following comments: “There is now an ongoing general problem in Victoria, with recent Racing Victoria policies and changes having caused damage to the operation and reputation of Victorian Racing.”

There has been criticism by Victorian racing industry participants unhappy with the recent announcement by Racing Victoria of cuts to Victorian prize money and the circumstances surrounding it.

Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association (TROA) chairman, Jonathan Munz, has urged Racing Victoria (RV) to use common sense and reduce its own overheads and inefficiencies and rein in “pet projects” before pursuing any proposed prizemoney cuts. In recent days, RV announced a move to reduce prizemoney, with general manager of racing, Matt Welsh telling RV media business, Racing.com, that there will be prizemoney cuts across a “broad cross-section” of races in 2023-24. This  is in response to a reported decline in wagering this year.

The Australian Trainers Association (ATA) and the Victorian Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association (TROA) strongly oppose Racing Victoria’s plan to abolish the existing free nominations system and impose non acceptance fees. Victoria has had a system of free nominations at no cost to owners and trainers since 2007, whereas other states such as NSW and Queensland do not. All states, including Victoria, charge scratching fees to withdraw a horse after acceptances. 

Racing Victoria (RV) has today released its race dates and prizemoney schedule for the 2022-23 racing season which will feature 554 race meetings from Monday, 1 August 2022. Victorian prizemoney will reach record heights next season with $314 million in prizemoney and bonuses on offer – the first time this figure has surpassed $300 million. It represents an increase of $140 million, or 80 per cent, since 2015 and will see the average prizemoney and bonuses on offer per race in Victoria remain at a nation high figure, climbing to more than $72,600.

Racing Victoria (RV) has today announced that it will increase prizemoney by more than $16 million for the 2021-22 racing season commencing 1 August 2021. For the first time, over $280 million in prizemoney and bonuses will be on offer across a season with all owners, trainers and jockeys to get a chance to share in the increases which are spread from once-a-year picnic race meetings to coveted Group 1 features.

Published on Racing.com by Paul Tatnell @PaulTatnell - 24 May 2021  A coalition of powerful racing voices have joined forces in a prizemoney plan worth an extra $20 million a year, to match recent increases from NSW. The Thoroughbred Racehorse Owner’s Association [TROA] has submitted a detailed proposal to the Racing Victoria board, which includes more than $5 million in extra stakes money for Group 1 winners as well as a new $5,000 per race maiden bonus.

Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners' Association chairman Jonathan Munz has concerns and has suggested a change of approach in relation to Racing Victoria's limited-whip-use race series and the evaluation of whip rules. "I understand what RVL is trying to achieve, but I don't think it is going about this in the best way," Munz said. "The universal view among equine welfare experts, agreed by RVL, is that with the padded whip, the impact of use of the whip is a matter of perception rather than a horse welfare issue.

Racing Victoria (RV) has today announced the resumption of limited owner attendance at all Victorian race meetings under COVID-safe protocols from Saturday, 14 November 2020. The change comes following the relaxation of intrastate travel restrictions and in consideration of the significant reduction of COVID-19 cases across the state. Commencing this weekend, a capped number of owners will be given the opportunity to attend race meetings across Victoria when their horse is engaged to compete, irrespective of where they live within the state.

Racing Victoria (RV) and Country Racing Victoria (CRV) have today announced the resumption of limited owner attendance at regional race meetings under COVID-safe protocols from Monday, 12 October 2020. Owners who reside outside metropolitan Melbourne will be given the opportunity to attend race meetings in regional Victoria when their horse is engaged to compete. Owner attendance at regional race meetings, commencing with next Monday’s Echuca meeting, will be underpinned by the following essential protocols:

Victorian owners claim that the elapse of time has meant Racing Victoria should use its discretionary powers in relation in the Aquanita case and not seek to claw back an estimated $2 million of prizemoney previously paid to owners of 81 Aquanita horses that are facing disqualification.

A bumper $97.5m in prizemoney and bonuses will be up for grabs during the 2020 Spring Carnival. Racing Victoria on Tuesday confirmed the purses for flagship races, including the $8m Melbourne Cup, $5m Caulfield Cup and $5m Cox Plate. The minimum prizemoney in Victoria will also be restored to pre-COVID-19 levels from August 1 following reductions of 20 per cent (city) and 10 per cent (country) during the pandemic.

A special edition of The Verdict on RSN Radio with Michael Felgate, Matt Stewart and Mick Sharkie. Featuring interviews in regards to the proposed changes to the 2020 Spring Racing Carnival and the reasons behind the racing industry’s decision:

The Racing Victoria (RV) Board has today determined that the existing feature race program and traditional dates will be retained for the 2020 Spring Racing Carnival. Whilst racing has been the only sport to safely continue during the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact on Australia’s sporting and events calendar and ongoing social restrictions meant that an industry discussion was required on the best format and timing for this year’s Spring Racing Carnival.

Racing Victoria’s move to retain a traditional Spring Carnival has been backed by the key ownership association, saying “it was not a difficult decision’’. It comes after RV’s board on Friday announced it would not proceed with a new look spring program, championed by the Melbourne Racing Club and other stakeholders.

Racehorse owners have pushed back on a proposed Spring Carnival reshuffle and urged the Melbourne Racing Club to instead focus on bringing back full prizemoney – and crowds. Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association chairman Jonathan Munz wants Racing Victoria to reject Melbourne Racing Club’s Spring Carnival reshuffle and instead work towards reinstating prizemoney and bringing crowds back at the races. It comes as interstate racing jurisdictions consider opening the gates as early as Saturday.

The Melbourne Racing Club's proposal to switch the Caulfield Cup Carnival to late November has been condemned by Victorian racing's two most powerful stakeholders, the owners and trainers' associations. Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association Chairman Jonathan Munz said on Monday that owners were against the proposal to run the Caulfield Carnival after the Melbourne Cup Carnival as it would be 'effectively wrecking the national racing calendar'. "The MRC proposal is ill-advised and self-indulgent and not in the interests of the racing industry as a whole," Munz said.

Racehorse owners have thrown their support behind Racing Victoria’s move to reduce costs and prizemoney as the industry braces for a potential worst-case scenario due to the coronavirus. Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners’ Association (TROA) chairman Jonathan Munz said on Tuesday that the upcoming cuts of as much as 20 per cent of metropolitan prizemoney for the remainder of the season, while regrettable, are understandable as insurance to provide support to owners, trainers and other industry participants in the event that racing is shut down for a few months or more.

TROA FUNDS EXCLUSIVE OWNERS AREAS IN COUNTRY TROA are delighted to provide funding support to feature Country Victoria race meetings for the 2019-2020 racing season.  TROA is providing funding support to provide TROA exclusive owners areas to all owners with a runner engaged at the following race meetings:

Bendigo is home to the Golden Mile Race Day, Saturday 30 March 2019, with prize money exceeding $1 million. TROA are proud to announce our continued partnership with Golden Mile Raceday in its seventh year. World-class racing, entertainment, leafy bushland surrounds, fine dining, fashion and more make the Golden Mile Race Day an unforgettable experience for racehorse owners, in particular those lucky enough to have a horse competing for the $1 million in prizemoney on offer.

The Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners’ Association (TROA) has questioned the timing of Racing Victoria Stewards in scratching runners from the Darren Weir and Jarrod McLean stables 90 minutes before the commencement of racing at The Valley. Jonathan Munz, Chairman of TROA, said that owners have been penalised unsatisfactorily by the decision. “We support Racing Victoria and the Stewards but the decision to scratch horses so late and close to the commencement of racing tonight has inconvenienced people unreasonably and unnecessarily,” Munz said.

A broad range of owners, trainers, jockeys and breeders are set to benefit from more than $40 million in additional prizemoney that will begin rolling out across Victoria from 1 January 2019. The increases are underpinned by a $33 million election commitment from the newly returned Labor Government to support increases to the minimum levels of Victorian thoroughbred prizemoney.  Racing Victoria (RV) has committed to boosting the package of prizemoney increases, which will be implemented across the next two years, beyond $40 million.

TROA are delighted to announce funding support to the Cranbourne Cup Carnival and Geelong Cup meeting, to provide TROA exclusive owners areas to all owners with a runner engaged at these meetings. TROA understand the importance of owners having an enjoyable experience on raceday, when your horse is engaged to compete. TROA, with Country Racing Victoria and the Victorian regional race clubs encourage owner participation and attendance when your horse is racing in regional Victoria.