Owners have more flexibility in their choice of replacement jockeys following an amendment to NSW Thoroughbred Racing Board (TRB) policy regarding the substitution of declared riders due to illness or injury.

The new policy states that if a declared jockey is prevented from riding due to accident or illness, then the choice of replacement rider shall be solely at the discretion of the owner or the owner's representative, conditional upon the following:

• Subject to availability, a senior rider must replace a senior rider or non-claiming apprentice and an apprentice must replace an apprentice.
• The rider change must be made one hour prior to the advertised start time of a race. (If it is necessary to replace a rider after this one-hour deadline, the previous policy will apply, ie. the replacement must be, whenever practical, a rider of similar status as determined by the Stewards.)

The policy change, which will took effect on Saturday March 24, 2001, followed approaches from representatives of various industry sectors.

The Australian Rule of Racing (AR 119) that governs rider changes states:-

"If a rider after being declared is prevented by accident or illness or other cause from riding, the Stewards may permit another rider to be substituted".