Future of jumps racing in Vic to be decided today
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The Victorian jumps racing industry is anxiously awaiting today's expected decision on the future of the sport.
Jumps racing has been under scrutiny for months because of the high rate of horse deaths.
The Racing Victoria Board has been analysing a review it commissioned into the sport and will announce whether jumps racing will continue later today.
The main hurdle and steeplechase events are run at Flemington and Warrnambool, but many smaller clubs also rely on the sport.
Mick O'Connell, from the Casterton Racing Club in the state's west, says jumps races prop up his club financially.
"We're hoping it still goes and hoping that things will come out in favour of jumps racing," he said.
"But we just gotta sit and wait and see with fingers crossed."
The Victorian group, Advocates for Animals, has been campaigning against jumps racing.
Spokesman, Lawrence Pope says the sport is inhumane.
"When a horse is entered in a jumps race it has a very substantial risk of falling and dying," he said.
"In fact, the risk of fractures is over a hundred times that of normal racing."
"So we would really like to see it abolished," he said.
Jumps racing has already been banned in most states except Victoria and South Australia.
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