Pursuant to sections 29 or 34 of the Racing Act 2003, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Incorporated (NZTR) has made the following changes to the Rules of Racing which will come into effect on 9 July 2018.

Industry consultation has taken place on these proposed amendments and NZTR has sought the views of the Judicial Control Authority (JCA) and the New Zealand Racing Board Dates Committee (NZRB). The NZRB, the JCA and the NZTR Board have approved these amendments.

The purpose of the amendments is to modernise the system of jumps and high weight claims.

The amendments to the Rules of Racing are set out below in red as follows:

542(2) In every Handicap Jumping Race or Set Weight Jumping Race that is not a Prestige or Feature Race, unless the conditions for the Race provide otherwise, every Rider for which the total stake (exclusive of the value of any prize) is the minimum stake for a Race conducted at a Premier meeting as prescribed in the then current NZTR Club Funding Distribution Model or less every Rider who has ridden not more than 10 15 winners of Jumping Races shall be entitled to claim an allowance which shall be determined according to the number of jumping winners ridden by the Rider and computed as follows:

(a) if the Rider has ridden 4 5 or fewer winners – 3 kg;

(b) if the Rider has ridden 5 at least 6 but not more than 10 winners – 2.5 2 kg; or

(c) if the Rider has ridden at least 6 11 winners but no more than 9 15 winners – 1.5 1 kg.

provided always that a horse shall not carry less than 60 kg.

(3) In every Handicap Highweight Race or Set Weight Highweight Race, unless the conditions for the race provide otherwise, every Rider shall be entitled to claim an allowance which shall be determined according to the number of winners in Flat Races ridden by the Rider and computed as follows:

(a) if the Rider has ridden 4 5 or fewer winners – 3 kg;
(b) if the Rider has ridden 5 at least 6 but not more than 10 winners – 2.5 2 kg; or
(c) if the Rider has ridden at least 6 11 winners but no more than 9 15 winners – 1.5 1 kg.

provided always that a horse shall not carry less than 60 kg.

Note: The references to 60kg minimum riding weight will be removed as these are unnecessary given that under current relevant weights provisions (Jumps and Highweight), the lightest handicapped weight (maiden mare) is 63kg and the biggest claim is 3kg.