Racing Victoria will adjust the weight allocation for all Group 1 races run under handicap conditions in the state to bring them into line with the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup.
From the 2025/26 racing season, the minimum topweight for all Group 1 handicaps will be set at 59kg.
The minimum topweight at acceptance time will remain unchanged at 57kg.
However, should the weights need to be raised, the minimum allotted weight of 52kg and a 5kg weight spread will be maintained.
“This differs from the previous conditions for Group 1 handicap races, which had determined that any increase at acceptance time was uniform at both the top and bottom of the weight scale,” Racing Victoria (RV) said in a statement.
These amendments follow the recent outcome of the review into the handicap conditions for the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup, which saw the minimum allotted weight for both races increased from 50kg to 51kg and the minimum topweight raised from 58kg to 59kg.
The move was made after consultation with the Australian Trainers Association and the Victorian Jockeys Association.
Besides the Cups, other Group 1 handicaps staged in Victoria are the Oakleigh Plate, Newmarket Handicap, Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and the Toorak Handicap.
The conditions for Group 2 and two-year-old handicap races will remain with a minimum topweight of 59kg, a minimum topweight of 58kg at acceptance time and a minimum allotted weight of 53kg for Group 2 races and 54kg for two-year-old events.
All other handicap races, from Group 3 down to benchmark 52 grade, will have a minimum topweight of 60kg and a minimum weight of 54kg when handicaps are declared with a minimum topweight of 59kg at acceptance time.
“These amendments will allow for a consistent 5kg weight spread across all races at acceptance time for TAB day meetings, which represents a 1kg increase on the current system,” RV said.