New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has confirmed that it will recognise and support the enforcement of key traceability provisions within the Australian Rules of Racing relating to broodmare returns and foal ownership declarations.
Some time ago, Racing Australia amended its Rules of Racing to prohibit any horse from racing unless both a Mare Return and a Foal Ownership Declaration have been lodged in accordance with the Australian Rules. These rules are now being actively enforced, and horses that have not complied with the requirements are being prohibited from being registered to race in Australia.
Under Australian Rules of Racing AR 285 and AR 286, the following requirements apply:
· A Mare Return must be lodged with the Australian Stud Book by the manager of a broodmare, or their authorised agent, within 30 days of the broodmare giving birth to a live foal.
· A Foal Ownership Declaration must be lodged with Racing Australia by the manager of the foal, or their authorised agent, within 30 days of the foal’s birth.
These provisions form part of the traceability section of the Rules of Racing and are designed to protect the integrity and image of horseracing while enhancing the welfare and lifetime traceability of Thoroughbred horses.
Importantly, horses affected by this prohibition remain fully recognised as Thoroughbreds. In cases where the required returns were lodged late, the horses have still been accepted and registered within the Australian Stud Book. As such, they are recognised as Thoroughbred horses and are eligible for breeding purposes.
From a stud book perspective, these horses may still enter the New Zealand Thoroughbred Stud Book through the standard export and import process. They may be named and used for breeding purposes in the usual way. The restriction imposed in Australia applies only to racing eligibility within that jurisdiction.
The NZTR Racing and Integrity Committee recently considered whether New Zealand should recognise the Australian embargo when such horses are imported.
The Committee determined that New Zealand should not provide a pathway that would allow participants to avoid the consequences of non-compliance with the Australian Rules of Racing. Accordingly, under Rule 408(4), NZTR resolved that any horse prohibited from being registered to race in Australia due to non-compliance with AR 285 and AR 286 will not be approved for racing registration in New Zealand.
As a result, while a horse prohibited from racing in Australia under AR 287(1) may still be imported into New Zealand and recorded in the New Zealand Thoroughbred Stud Book, it will not be eligible to be registered for racing in New Zealand.
NZTR said the decision reinforces the importance of industry traceability requirements and supports the broader international framework designed to maintain confidence in Thoroughbred racing and breeding.