S O UTH AU S T R AL IAN JU M P S R AC I N G
Newsletter
October 2016
Winter floods at Oakbank The extreme weather at the end of September in Adelaide and across South Australia (including a state-wide blackout!) saw some extreme flooding at Oakbank in the Adelaide Hills.
Perception v Reality – the state of SA jumps racing
Thanks to Chris Biggs and Oakbank Racing Club for sharing these dramatic images of the floods and the aftermath.
“There’s no jumps racing industry in SA. All the prizemoney goes to Victoria. No-one bets on jumps races.” How many times have you heard these and similar laments – often from within the racing industry? The reality regarding jumps racing in SA is in fact somewhat different to the negative picture painted above, as is borne out by the statistics. For instance, of the 19 jumps races held in this state during the 2016 season, 11 were won by SA-trained horses, as opposed to 8 from across the border. In addition, SA horses picked up 12 seconds and 10 thirds (7 and 9 respectively for Victorian jumpers). At the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival, after Warrnambool Australia’s pre-eminent jumps racing meeting, 43.6% of the starters were trained in SA, and these won 33% of both the races and the overall prizemoney. South Australian jumps owners, trainers and horses can therefore be said to punch above their weight, particularly when you consider the obstacles that are constantly placed in their way. October 2016 South Australian Jumps Racing
This is why it’s important for SA jumps racing supporters to get the good news out there about the industry in this state. Yes, we are beset by uncertainty as we await the outcome of the Select Committee enquiry, but it’s nevertheless important to look ahead to 2017 positively. SAJR is confident that there will be a future for jump racing in SA next year and beyond, and so we should all be prepared to hit the ground running. We all need to encourage more local trainers to take on a jumper or two, SA owners to make an investment and, above all, to get those within the industry to start talking positively about jumps racing again. And the next time someone in the industry makes a complaint such as those above, show them the figures about how SA jumps horses performed this year – odds on they’ll be surprised!
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