Rob Hulls was racing minister. He wants to end jumps racing in Victoria

Former Labor deputy premier and racing minister Rob Hulls is backing a new push to ban jumps racing in Victoria following a weekend meet at which two jockeys were hurt and three horses euthanised.

Hulls, who was racing minister when the practice was briefly suspended in 2009, has previously refrained from public comment but will on Wednesday join Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell and others in calling for it to be cancelled. Victoria is the only state in which jumps events are still held.

Horses clear the jumps at Warrnambool.Credit: Getty Images

“The carnage that’s caused by jumps racing in Victoria has to stop,” Hulls told The Age.

“The powers that be within the industry have to get off their high horse and understand that the large number of horse deaths, let alone the serious injuries to jockeys, are tarnishing the entire racing industry.”

The comments come after three horses were euthanised and two jockeys injured on Sunday at the Grand National Steeplechase carnival in Ballarat. Mighty Oasis, Maserartie Bay and Buffalo Bill were all humanely put down after serious injuries in three separate races.

The state’s racing authority Racing Victoria said in a statement its safety record for jumps in 2024 had “regressed”. Seven fatalities were recorded in the 2024 season.

But they said fatalities had fallen by 60 per cent between 2009 and 2023, with the authority to conduct a review into the 2024 season comparing it with other years.

Separately, a Jumps Review Panel will examine the incident behind each fatality.

“The events at Ballarat are heartbreaking for all involved in the Victorian jumps racing community,” Racing Victoria said.

“Each and every one is committed to making the sport as safe as it can be and has worked hard to do so with marked improvement across the previous 14 years.”

Former deputy premier Rob Hulls. Credit: Josh Robenstone

Hulls joins animal welfare advocates in launching a renewed push for a ban following Sunday’s fatalities and injuries.

Purcell said a review of the season did not go far enough.

“Nothing can be done to protect horses in jumps racing, and there’s no other option but to ban it,” she said.

“We’re the final state that goes on with this cruel spectacle … It’s time for us to catch up, actually be the progressive state and treat our horses with kindness.

“The industry is being stubborn. There’s been a long and relentless campaign here in Victoria, a bigger one than any other state.”

A decision about the future of jumps racing would ultimately need to be made by Racing Victoria’s board.

Racing Minister Anthony Carbines said the events of Sunday’s meeting were extremely concerning.

“Our thoughts are with [jockeys] Lee Horner and Will Gordon as well as those who looked after the horses,” he said.

“I’m advised Racing Victoria will do a thorough review of the incident, and of the 2024 jumps racing season, to further improve safety.

“Racing Victoria has adopted a number of safety improvements for jumps racing since 2010 – including modification to the design of jumps, improved training facilities, stricter horse qualification standards and track preparation as well as venue selection changes.”

Official statistics say there have been 3.1 horse fatalities per season in Victorian jumps races since 2010, compared to 9.3 fatalities per season before changes were made.

In November 2009, Racing Victoria announced it would stop jumps racing in the 2010 season amid concerns that falls and fatalities were rising. However, this decision was revoked 10 months later and bans have not been revisited by successive Coalition and Labor governments.

Racing South Australia blamed declining participation for its decision to no longer run jumps events from 2022, leaving Victoria as the only remaining state in which races are held.

The jumps are the feature event at May’s Warrnambool carnival, known by racegoers as the ’Bool and attended by tens of thousands of visitors.

The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses said 12 horses have died in the 2024 jumps season. Their figures include an additional five fatalities they have counted from track work and training.

In a statement online, RSPCA Victoria also said there had been 12 horse facilities this season.

“Victoria is the only place in Australia that continues to hold jumps events and as such RSPCA Victoria is calling for an immediate ban on the activity due to the inherent high risk of injury and death,” they said.

Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter here.