Victoria’s peak body for horse racing, Racing Victoria, has agreed to increase funding for thoroughbred retrainers, amid concerns many are leaving the industry due to financial pressures.

The ABC understands six Victorian retraining stables have stopped taking in racehorses or closed their doors recently, due to a lack of financial support.

Maryborough’s Liz Andriske spent the past 10 years retraining and selling former racehorses in Victoria.

She has now left the industry, due to the ongoing financial strain.

Six months ago, Ms Andriske started noticing less money coming in from people buying rehomed racehorses.

There used to be up to 30 horses on her property but now she only has one left.

She said it was a tough decision to leave the industry. 

“I put up the [social media] post and deleted it half a dozen times before we made the call,” she said.

She now worries about what will become of hundreds of other racehorses across the state as more retrainers exit the industry.

The ABC spoke to numerous Victorian retrainers who expressed concern about how they would afford to keep rehoming racehorses.

They all declined to speak publicly, but six have stopped taking in new horses, or are shutting their businesses.

Questions about equine welfare money

Ms Andriske does not receive any Racing Victoria funding because she decided against being an “acknowledged” retrainer, as it didn’t work for her small business.

But she said she believed the racing body was not following through on its 2022 commitment to spend 2 per cent of all prize money on equine welfare.

Racing Victoria’s annual report showed $270 million generated in prize money last year, with 2 per cent pledged for equine welfare programs.

“Where does the 2 per cent go and how does it actually help?”

In an email to Racing Victoria members earlier this month, interim CEO Aaron Morrison said the 2 per cent of prize money “contribution” for equine welfare equated to about $5.6 million on average each year.

He acknowledged the “current cost of living pressures”.

He said it was affecting the 1,800 thoroughbreds that, on average, were retired from racing in Victoria every year.

“Many acknowledged retrainers are adapting their own business models to face this challenge and we thank them for the work they continue to do.”

On July 8, after the ABC began making inquiries, Racing Victoria emailed its retrainers and said they would receive an extra $50 per month, per horse, increasing the subsidy from $100 to $150.

“[Category] A from $100 to $150 per eligible* horse, to a maximum of 10 months,” a notice to retrainers stated.

Retrainers can also access higher subsidies for horses with behavioural problems and injuries.

Mr Morrison’s email stated the 2 per cent prize money allocated for equine welfare could not fully fund all thoroughbreds to the end of their life.

The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses has called on Victoria’s Racing Integrity Commissioner to investigate how the promised prize money is being spent on equine welfare.

“Racing Victoria makes $5.6 million in revenue from the 2 per cent prize money that’s supposed to go to the horses,” programs director Elio Celotto said.

Retrainers say dollars don’t add up

Racing Victoria declined to answer questions and referred the ABC to the email sent to owners by RV Interim CEO Aaron Morrison.

“We don’t intend to make any further comment on the record beyond that public document at this time,” a spokesperson said.

Mr Celotto said it was “incumbent” on the racing industry in Victoria to find homes for retired racehorses and rehabilitate them.

“We think [the 2 per cent prize money] is just another revenue stream for Racing Victoria to raise funds for whatever purpose they want,” he said.

“They need to become open and transparent.

Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell has also called on the Racing Integrity Commissioner to investigate the issue.  

“I have three horses myself and I know they are very, very expensive to maintain,” she said.

She is not a racehorse retrainer, but said most horse owners would sympathise with their position.

“Many of us are spending more than $100 a week on horse feed, it’s simply not enough … it is completely unsustainable,” she said.

The Racing Integrity Commissioner declined to comment on whether it was investigating Racing Victoria over where the prize money for equine welfare was being spent.