Chief Stipe Posted August 2, 2021 Share Posted August 2, 2021 NEW RULES MAY REIN IN STATE’S RUNAWAY TRAINER RANKS July 28, 2021 5:58 pm By Matt Stewart, Racing Editor Racing Victoria is to apply more stringent criteria to those who hope to join Victoria’s swollen training ranks. There are currently 843 registered trainers in Victoria and an average of five a month make application. It is an untenable number that has contributed to a skills shortage and put trainers under increasing pressure to keep up and make it tougher for the state’s lucrative prizemoney pie to be shared around. A leading trainer this week texted that licences were found “in Wheaties packets,” an exaggeration but also indicative of a well held view that Victoria has too many trainers too easily granted a licence. A key requirement will be that applicants have worked for six years in a stable instead of four and had successfully transitioned to the formal role of foreman or assistant trainer. An RV spokesman said the new criteria would be introduced at some stage during next season, which begins on Sunday. Australian Trainers Association chief executive Andrew Nicholl said: “It has just been too easy for people.” Nicholl said in an ideal world, trainers who had struggled, for whatever reason, would find work with more successful stables. This would in part address the skills crisis because the stable that closed would no longer require such staff and the stable that absorbed that trainer would gain a skilled employee. “The problem is people want to follow their dream and the dream is they just want to be a trainer. In many instances, it’s just not viable,” Nicholl said. Nicholl said Victoria’s attractive prizemoney and options at many tracks throughout the state presented a double-edged sword. “Victoria is the place to be and everyone wants to race here. At the moment there are 43 (interstate) trainers with visiting trainer licences, on top of those we already have,” he said. Of the average of five applicants for licences each month, Nicholl said: “You can’t fit everyone in the tent.” Nicholl said training partnerships had gathered momentum from a trickle a decade ago to over 30. Clinton McDonald revealed this week that independent financial management company Knights had taken over his books to prevent him from becoming overwhelmed with both training and managing his business. Nicholl said such scenarios were becoming increasingly common. A handful of years ago RV inserted a suitability policy into its licencing process, meaning applicants with criminal histories or other factors that might make them a risk, could be knocked back. An RV spokesman said the Fair Racing For All Report published in 2019 had led to an update licencing and accreditation standards. “The framework is nearing completion and once finalised we’ll be communicating with the industry more broadly on the specifics. “The objective at this time is to begin rolling that framework out during the 2021-22 racing season for new applicants and to transition all existing licence holders across ahead of the renewal cycle for the 2022-23 licensing period which begins in late autumn 2022.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
By Matt Stewart, Racing Editor Racing Victoria is to apply more stringent criteria to those who hope to join Victoria’s swollen training ranks. There are currently 843 registered trainers in Victoria and an average of five a month make application. It is an untenable number that has contributed to a skills shortage and put trainers under increasing pressure to keep up and make it tougher for the state’s lucrative prizemoney pie to be shared around. A leading trainer this week texted that licences were found “in Wheaties packets,” an exaggeration but also indicative of a well held view that Victoria has too many trainers too easily granted a licence. A key requirement will be that applicants have worked for six years in a stable instead of four and had successfully transitioned to the formal role of foreman or assistant trainer. An RV spokesman said the new criteria would be introduced at some stage during next season, which begins on Sunday. Australian Trainers Association chief executive Andrew Nicholl said: “It has just been too easy for people.” Nicholl said in an ideal world, trainers who had struggled, for whatever reason, would find work with more successful stables. This would in part address the skills crisis because the stable that closed would no longer require such staff and the stable that absorbed that trainer would gain a skilled employee. “The problem is people want to follow their dream and the dream is they just want to be a trainer. In many instances, it’s just not viable,” Nicholl said. Nicholl said Victoria’s attractive prizemoney and options at many tracks throughout the state presented a double-edged sword. “Victoria is the place to be and everyone wants to race here. At the moment there are 43 (interstate) trainers with visiting trainer licences, on top of those we already have,” he said. Of the average of five applicants for licences each month, Nicholl said: “You can’t fit everyone in the tent.” Nicholl said training partnerships had gathered momentum from a trickle a decade ago to over 30. Clinton McDonald revealed this week that independent financial management company Knights had taken over his books to prevent him from becoming overwhelmed with both training and managing his business. Nicholl said such scenarios were becoming increasingly common. A handful of years ago RV inserted a suitability policy into its licencing process, meaning applicants with criminal histories or other factors that might make them a risk, could be knocked back. An RV spokesman said the Fair Racing For All Report published in 2019 had led to an update licencing and accreditation standards. “The framework is nearing completion and once finalised we’ll be communicating with the industry more broadly on the specifics. “The objective at this time is to begin rolling that framework out during the 2021-22 racing season for new applicants and to transition all existing licence holders across ahead of the renewal cycle for the 2022-23 licensing period which begins in late autumn 2022.”
Freda Posted August 2, 2021 Share Posted August 2, 2021 At this point in time, the way I see things, big trainers will get bigger, the smaller ones will get smaller or disappear. As well as the well documented challenges facing all trainers, recent changes to immigration criteria make it very difficult to get experienced staff. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted August 2, 2021 Author Share Posted August 2, 2021 There's no plan. When was the last time we saw anything substantial from NZTR in terms of planning/strategy for the future? Where is the funding coming from for the maintenance of the three AWT's? What is the strategy to address the decline in our Group/Listed race status? What is being done to address the handicapping issues that is putting good horses out to pasture? Even more now that we see the collapse of jumps racing (I see Cambridge ran three jumps trials yesterday - too little too late?)? Apparently we are on the verge of a windfall in revenue from the TAB - budgeted and contrary to what some think it isn't YET in the bank! Do we see funding at the lower levels being upped to make it worthwhile for a small trainer to "have a go"? Group racing has seen stake increases disproportionate to any other level of racing. But where are the horses going to come from? Look at the nominations for the Group 3 Winter Cup at Riccarton. They are appalling. An average rating of 78.5 for a GROUP 3 race!!!!! No doubt there will be a mare in there that will benefit from the 2kg "assistance" it gets! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted August 2, 2021 Share Posted August 2, 2021 4 hours ago, Freda said: At this point in time, the way I see things, big trainers will get bigger, the smaller ones will get smaller or disappear. As well as the well documented challenges facing all trainers, recent changes to immigration criteria make it very difficult to get experienced staff. Agree, not to mention the asset grab which will put a lot of smaller trainers out to pasture. Some of the stables here at the moment should really be looking to Aus. sooner rather than later imo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomates Posted August 2, 2021 Share Posted August 2, 2021 40 minutes ago, Huey said: Agree, not to mention the asset grab which will put a lot of smaller trainers out to pasture. Some of the stables here at the moment should really be looking to Aus. sooner rather than later imo I have said it before , in maybe 15/20 years we will be a poor man's Hong Kong , with maybe 20/25 trainers training all horses and racing on a handfull of tracks . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryb Posted August 3, 2021 Share Posted August 3, 2021 Ya dreaming Nomates, racing won’t exist in 15 yrs in any location other than maybe pockets of Aus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freda Posted August 3, 2021 Share Posted August 3, 2021 5 hours ago, barryb said: Ya dreaming Nomates, racing won’t exist in 15 yrs in any location other than maybe pockets of Aus. Too much tradition and status to see it disappear in the UK/Ireland, surely? Or were you referring more to here and Aus....I am thinking, too well managed over the ditch to see it fold there, even with the push from the animal rights groups. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryb Posted August 3, 2021 Share Posted August 3, 2021 15 yrs is a long time Freda, Tradition & Pomp is undone in 5 mins by wrong doing. Have a look at the training ranks here for example, would more than 50% be over 60yrs old?, owners & participants in general wouldn’t be much different, that’s not a long term survival plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freda Posted August 3, 2021 Share Posted August 3, 2021 15 minutes ago, barryb said: 15 yrs is a long time Freda, Tradition & Pomp is undone in 5 mins by wrong doing. Have a look at the training ranks here for example, would more than 50% be over 60yrs old?, owners & participants in general wouldn’t be much different, that’s not a long term survival plan. No, you're not wrong wrt here. Apart from the BGP group [ which is a breath of fresh air ] most participants seem to be in, or close to, the pensioner bracket. I just wasn't sure whether 'here' was to where you were referring, or racing internationally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted August 3, 2021 Share Posted August 3, 2021 11 hours ago, barryb said: Ya dreaming Nomates, racing won’t exist in 15 yrs in any location other than maybe pockets of Aus. Yep can see it happening , especially here. One just has to look at the crowd at the races to realise this. The young have been attracted to racing , but unfortunately via the enticement of alcohol which is a recipe for disaster. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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