Victoria Racing Club scraps early entries for five Group 1 races

The Victoria Racing Club has made a significant change to help boost the quality of its feature races at Flemington.

Runners like VRC Oaks winner Personal won’t have to be entered weeks before their Group 1 assignments at Flemington from next season. Picture: Getty Images for the VRC

The Victoria Racing Club has abandoned early nominations for five Group 1 races while making a concession on jumpouts at Flemington.

Entries for races such as the Victoria Derby, VRC Oaks, Newmarket Handicap, Australian Guineas and Australian Cup all closed weeks before the race date in previous seasons.

However, the VRC has scrapped early nomination deadlines for all five races from next season.

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The Melbourne Cup entry system will remain unchanged with August 2 the closing date for entries, three months before the running of Australia’s showpiece race.

VRC racing boss Leigh Jordon said the changes would make things easier for trainers and help to produce higher quality fields.

“Removing early entry dates is designed to improve the nominations process for trainers,” Jordon said.

“It allows trainers to target feature races without fear of missing early entry deadlines and it will hopefully ensure that we get the most in-form horses entering those races at Flemington.

“The VRC believes removal of early nominations will be welcomed by trainers.”

Stars not trained at Flemington will now be able to jump out down the Flemington straight before Group 1 sprints. Picture: Getty Images

The VRC has made the key concession of allowing horses trained outside Flemington to jumpout down the straight before racing on the unique course under specific conditions.

Horses entered for Flemington’s four Group 1 straight races, the Coolmore Stud Stakes, Darley Spring Classic, Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap, will be able to jumpout down the straight before competing.

Trainers that nominate and send runners to a straight jumpout but don’t accept for a Group 1 race will be liable for a fee.

The VRC will also open the straight course for jumpouts to outside trainers that enter two-year-olds in the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes, which is the state’s first two-year-old race of the season.

“We listened to feedback and want to ensure the safest possible racing conditions at Flemington which is why we will now permit eligible, non-Flemington trained horses to jump out and familiarise themselves with the unique Flemington straight track,” Jordon said.

Originally published as Victoria Racing Club scraps early entries for five Group 1 races