Warrnambool’s Grand Annual Steeplechase prizemoney cut after Racing Victoria jumps racing review

Warrnambool’s Grand Annual Steeplechase faces a prizemoney cut as part of a belt tightening program for the 2025 jumps racing season.

Prizemoney for the rich Grand Annual Steeplechase will be cut for the 2025 edition of the Warrnambool event. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images.

The Grand Annual Steeplechase will be one of the races to face a prizemoney cut when Racing Victoria releases its 2025 jumps program in the coming days.

RV launched a review of jumps racing after a disappointing 2024 term after which chairman Tim Eddy described that year’s safety record as “unacceptable”.

The review recommended jumps racing continue with a shorter season and 10 less races while Racing Victoria has decided to cut $1m in prizemoney for 2025.

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The cuts mean prizemoney for the Grand Annual, run at the Warrnambool May Carnival, will drop from $400,000 to $350,000 this year.

Warrnambool Racing Club chief executive Luke Cann said the club was not immune from the financial pressures facing jumps racing in Victoria.

“We didn’t feel that Warrnambool should avoid cuts and everyone else should be taking the load,” he said.

“We felt that should be a pretty equitable process across the board.”

“There’s a million dollars being cut from prizemoney from the 2025 jumps program.

“Quite a bit of that came from the 10 less races on the program.

“Some of the other races during the season will be reduced.”

The Grand Annual Steeplechase is run in front of huge crowds at the Warrnambool Racecourse in May. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Cann remained confident the Grand Annual Steeplechase, Australia’s longest race, would remain a key target for jumps trainers in the early part of the season.

“We’re optimistic that it won’t detract from the amount of competitors and the quality of the field,” he said.

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Jumps racing is likely to return to Warrnambool in late March in line with the new recommendation for the season to start no earlier than five weeks before the May Carnival.

Cann said the WRC has worked hard to ensure the Warrnambool track was ready to host jumps racing under the new rules, which demand tracks are rated on the worse side of a soft (5) for hurdle and steeplechase races.

“This year we go into that planning process and we ensure that, even without the environmental factors, that we have enough processes in place to have everything checked off,” Cann said.

“There will be some things in place that will add to our workload but that will hopefully lead to safer race days, which will benefit the industry.”

Racing Victoria hoped to finalise the 2025 jumps racing program later in the week.

Originally published as Warrnambool’s Grand Annual Steeplechase prizemoney cut after Racing Victoria jumps racing review