JUMPS racing in Australia, which is confined to Victoria and South Australia, continues to enjoy positive health.

South Australia’s jumps future has been secured for at least the next three years thanks to recommendations from a parliamentary report.

The scene in Victoria looks very steady with prize money healthy and field sizes improving. The base stake for a maiden is now AUS$25,000 with a $10,000 bonus for horses registering their first jumps win. Overall 63 jumps (42 hurdle, 21 steeplechase) races were conducted in Victoria for a total of AUS$3.51 million in prize money in 2016.

One of the season’s highlights was the visit of Katie Walsh to contest the Grand National Steeple a year after Ruby had made the same trip.

With careful planning Racing Victoria can parley this template into a celebration of the jumps racing fraternity that combines an international interest. Ballarat featured a six-race jumps card on Grand National Steeplechase day.

For an aspect of the industry that has been maligned in some quarters of the mainstream over a number of years, a full day’s focus on the jumps community could only help inform those who have questions but don’t know where to ask them.