JUMPS racing supporters are calling on Racing Victoria Limited to guarantee the sport until 2013.
The Australian Jumps Racing Association and key racing stakeholders, including Warrnambool Racing Club, have lodged a detailed submission with RVL recommending the board on Thursday extend the sport's life for a further three years.
It is understood the submission, to be discussed at an RVL board meeting, calls for hurdle racing to be guaranteed for three years after this season ends in September.
It is believed the industry wants steeplechasing's future guaranteed for another year.
Jumps racing's white knight, Mike Symons, who brokered a deal to save the sport earlier this year with RVL, yesterday told The Standard, getting a medium-term commitment on hurdle races would ensure the long-term future of steeplechases.
Symons, the newly-elected chairman of the Melbourne Racing Club, said if hurdle racing was extended, steeplechasing would follow because horses had to prove themselves over the small obstacles before graduating to steeplechases.
"It is time for RVL to put up its hand and show support for jumps racing," Symons said.
His comments came at Warrnambool yesterday after the sport remained on track to meet strict key performance measures regarding fall and fatality rates.
The conditions were introduced by RVL this season to gauge whether the sport could continue next season.
"The jumps racing industry has done a wonderful job over the past 12 months, bringing the sport back to positive levels," Symons said.
"It was under fire, we knew if it ceased it would never start again. We would all sit back in two years time and see what had happened to the Warrnambool carnival without jumps racing, it would have just naturally died.
"There is no carnival in Australia like the May carnival, without jumps racing it would turn from a three-day meeting to a two-day to a one-day.
"Full credit must be given to the jumps jockeys and trainers for turning the sport around.
"We have done a remarkable job to meet the KPIs. We need Racing Victoria to tick off our submission so people can go forward with confidence in the sport.
"Once the confidence is shown, we are sure that there will be more horses and owners involved in the sport.
"We think within three years jumps racing will be flourishing and within five years it will be back as a highlight in the winter."
Country Racing Victoria chairman Michael Caveny said the sport had significant support.
"We realise how important jumps racing is to Victoria's winter racing.
"We hope that a decision is made by the RVL board quickly so people can go forward with confidence."
Warrnambool Racing Club chairman Marg Lucas said her committee's views were well known on jumps racing.
"We have supported any move that the Australian Jumps Racing Association has made," she said.
"We look forward that the support will continue."
"There has been a lot of people work hard to ensure its success given been how the tough KPIs have been met by the jumps people."
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