Breeders, owners, trainers and jockeys are all set to benefit from the realigned VOBIS scheme from 1 August 2026 with enhancements providing greater consistency and clarity across the program.
VOBIS is Australia’s richest owner and breeder incentive scheme, offering up to $30 million each season in prizemoney, bonuses and vouchers to participants alongside Victoria’s prizemoney distribution.
Racing Victoria (RV) has completed an extensive review of VOBIS through stakeholder and public submissions, customer research and analysis of VOBIS nominations, race fields and foal crop numbers to determine its best structure going forward.
The review included consultation with Racing Clubs, Country Racing Victoria (CRV), Australian Trainers' Association (ATA), Victorian Jockeys' Association (VJA), Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners' Association (TROA), and Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria (TBV) through RV's Racing Forums.
While the review confirmed the strength and importance of VOBIS to the Victorian thoroughbred racing industry, several adjustments were identified to improve consistency and clarity for participants across the program’s three tiers.
VOBIS will importantly maintain its total pool of prizemoney, bonuses and vouchers next season, with no participant group worse off as part of the realignment announced today.
The following changes to the VOBIS program will come into effect from 1 August 2026:
Consistency of bonus structures
VOBIS Silver bonuses have been restructured to align with VOBIS Gold and offer a consistent $20,000 bonus across Saturday metropolitan, midweek metropolitan and country races.
VOBIS Silver bonuses are available on all 2YO, 3YO and 4YO races, plus 4YO and Up maidens, providing lucrative earning opportunities early in a horse’s career with no cap on the number of bonuses an eligible horse can win.
The realignment will see the VOBIS Silver Nominator Bonus, offered on all 2YO and 3YO black type races, double to $20,000.
Bonuses will be boosted by $8,000 across all VOBIS Silver country races to accelerate the return on investment for owners at the grassroots level, with midweek metropolitan bonuses to also increase by $5,000.
VOBIS Silver bonuses will accordingly be reduced by $10,000 across Saturday metropolitan races where significantly higher prizemoney is already on offer.
Consistency of bonus allocations
All VOBIS Silver and VOBIS Gold bonuses will now be consistently allocated between a nominator (23%), owner (65%), trainer (8%) and jockey (4%) to provide further clarity for those competing.
In addition, a VOBIS Gold Nominator Bonus has been created to mirror the VOBIS Silver program, thus providing an opportunity for the horse’s nominator to also share in bonuses on offer across more than 250 VOBIS Gold races each season.
New bonus allocations will be as follows for eligible horses:
|
Bonus $20,000 |
Place |
Amount |
Nominator |
Owner |
Trainer |
Jockey |
|
All 2026/27 VOBIS Silver & VOBIS Gold races |
1st (70%) |
$14,000 |
$3,220 |
$9,100 |
$1,120 |
$560 |
|
2nd (20%) |
$4,000 |
$920 |
$2,600 |
$320 |
$160 |
|
|
3rd (10%) |
$2,000 |
$460 |
$1,300 |
$160 |
$80 |
|
|
Total |
$20,000 |
$4,600 |
$13,000 |
$1600 |
$800 |
Changes to nomination fees
Nomination fees will increase for the first time since 2013 during a period in which the available VOBIS prize pool has grown by more than 36%.
Additionally, a 20% discount will be trialled during the 2027 nomination period to reward those that nominate 2025 foals to VOBIS Silver and Gold simultaneously. The discount provides participants with savings of up to $1,040 per horse.
Nomination Fees (Inc. GST) are as follows:
|
Category |
2025/26 Nomination Fee |
2026/27 Nomination Fee |
2026/27 Nomination Fee (20% Discount) |
2026/27 Late Nomination Fee |
|
VOBIS Silver: Victorian Sired |
$660 |
$725 |
$580 |
$1,450 |
|
VOBIS Silver: Victorian Bred Back |
$1,320 |
$1,450 |
$1,160 |
$2,900 |
|
VOBIS Silver: Vic Owner/Breeder |
$1,980 |
$4,000 |
$3,200 |
$8,000 |
|
VOBIS Gold |
$1,100 |
$1,200 |
$960 |
$2,400 |
|
VOBIS Platinum |
FREE - upon upgrading to VOBIS Gold, VOBIS Silver nominated horses who are the progeny of a VOBIS Sires Stallion will automatically be upgraded to VOBIS Platinum. |
|||
VOBIS Platinum unchanged
The review also confirmed the positive performance of the VOBIS Platinum program which will remain unchanged next season.
VOBIS Platinum offers an additional $7.5 million annually in $30,000 VOBIS Platinum Vouchers on nominated races. Entry carries no additional cost for the eligible progeny of VOBIS Sires Stallions.
Upcoming VOBIS entry deadlines include VOBIS Silver Late Nominations for 2024 born foals (closing 31 July 2026), VOBIS Gold and Platinum Upgrades for 2024 born foals (closing 31 December 2026) and VOBIS Silver Nominations for 2025 born foals (closing 31 May 2027).
