Johannesburg, South Africa — 4Racing advises all Trainers and Stakeholders that with immediate effect,there will be no cancellation of races at entry or declaration stage in any 4Racing Jurisdiction.
All programmed races will proceed as scheduled, provided there are a minimum of two (2) actual runners onrace day.
This decision has been taken in response to the increasing practice of horses being accepted in order toensure a race proceeds, followed by the scratching of couplings, resulting in significantly reduced final fieldsizes.
Fully agree with this descion allthough they could also inrodcuce barrier trials, if I remeber correctly that did it at Greyville a few years ago for a short time but not sure if they were just testing the poly. A trainer shouldnt be able to use a race as a prep run but then again the mr system probably would need a rework and we would have 2 horse fields all the time, at some point the stakeholders need to come together and figure out a system that works best for trainer opertaor and owner, the punter and jockey will always be there, perhaps more is needed to get more people to punt, new bet types aimed at newbies perhaps even Gtc a few years ago couldve been a hit with the newer punters had it continued and evolved
Correct decision, however this seems rather reactive, merely treating the symptoms.
They need to understand the underlying reasons for trainers not supporting races. Owners want their horses to run as often as possible.
Handicapping reform is required. Seems like we have trigger happy handicappers when it comes to increasing ratings. There are some instances where races are rated to compensate for past mistakes. Horses having their first run at a distance , or course are used as line horses. They are seemingly untouchable. When was the last time an Appeal was upheld?
I get that they want to protect the Graded race status, but right now that's akin to starving your family to feed the community.
Just get the Jockey Club vet to check all horses scratched in these small fields ....amazing how it's often a trainer with 3 or more entrants that then scratches 2 just because he entered them just to keep the race for his preferred runner...fine the vets and trainers massive if it is found that they scratched on false medical grounds...I promise you 2 or 3 raids and it stops...the NHA are now very often raiding the jockey room for electronic communication equipment ...see stipes reports...I'm sure the jocks are more careful now as will trainers be when they are forced to run horses that they only entered to make up fields
Transparency from trainers, ie number of horses in training, MR, resting, recovering and un-raced. Easy then to set a program. What if some trainers are nominating and scratching a horse to show the owner however the horse isn't ready anyway? A more complicated challenge....
when do the authorities admit that the Merit rating system is killing SA racing faster than all the other problems combined.
The horse population and number of annual race days are no longer sufficient to run the MR system.
Merit Rating must be replaced ASAP, by a system that works with SA racings new reality.
I agree with you Sylvester but do not know enough to recommend a replacement system to the current MR one. What i do know is that horses are showing massive earnings in lower divisions as 5yr old's and most average, one time winning, 3yr old's spend the year conceding weight to 4-7 time winning 5yr old's. We are seeing more and more Maiden Handicaps.
CLARIFICATION: IMPLEMENTATION OF REDUCED STAKES STRUCTURE FOR SMALLER FIELDS
Johannesburg, South Africa — Following the recent communication (11 February 2026), regarding amendments to race programming and stakes adjustments, 4Racing wishes to provide further clarity on key aspects of the proposed policy.
The implementation date for the reduced stakes structure applicable to smaller field races will take effect from 19 February 2026. As previously stated, this adjustment does not apply to any Graded or Listed races, which remain unaffected.
The revised structure will be based on the number of actual runners participating in a race.
However, any horse scratched at the start or in the parade ring will still be counted as a runner for stakes calculation purposes. This aligns with the current treatment of late scratchings in relation to jockey engagements and respective betting rules.
4Racing reserves the right to cancel a race at any time, up to and including race day, should only a single runner be declared or in the event that all declared runners are trained by a single trainer as a minimum of two trainers are required in accordance with our updated Racing Operators’ Conditions.
There are systems in place to accurately monitor the timing of scratchings to ensure the policy is applied consistently and transparently.
Please note: Irrespective of the number of declarations, 4Racing will advertise the total gross stake. Any reduction in stake will only be applied after the race, once the final number of runners has been confirmed.
Why This Adjustment Is Necessary
The primary objective of this measure is to create greater certainty and stability in race programming.
Trainers must be afforded the opportunity to map out a plan for their horses, and owners should be confident that when they enter a race, their horses are guaranteed a run, without the risk of races being cancelled due to insufficient runners - a situation that has occurred regularly in recent times.
While defending six and seven-runner fields has unfortunately become normal practice, given the current incentive structures and stake levels, achieving fields of eight or more runners should be the expectation rather than the exception.
Field size remains a critical factor in the overall health, competitiveness and commercial sustainability of the horse racing product. This adjustment is therefore designed to encourage stronger, more competitive fields while ensuring fairness and accountability across the board.
Thank you to the trainers and owners that have shared numerous suggestions for consideration. These will be factored into future tweaks and changes to continuously evolve the programme and make it more efficient and effective for all.
Looking Ahead
In addition, 4Racing is pleased to confirm that a stakes increase will be announced in the near future, further demonstrating 4Racing’s commitment to supporting all participants and strengthening the racing programme.
We appreciate the continued cooperation of trainers, owners and all industry stakeholders who contribute to sustaining the sport of horse racing in South Africa.
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