Developing Australia’s first digital racing integrity platform for Racing Victoria

How CGI built a digital integrity platform that transformed Racing Victoria’s traditional vet-sampling processes through automated data integration and process digitisation. 

The challenge

Racing Victoria is  one of Australia’s largest government -based regulators who’s responsibilities include race meet compliance.

They have historically relied on paper-heavy, manual processing of veterinary samples to safeguard the integrity of race meets and protect horse welfare.

This process was labour intensive, time consuming for staff, and created vulnerabilities to compliance breaches. With a range of stakeholders performing detailed tasks, there were significant opportunities for human error. Minimal authentication checkpoints and multiple single points of failure also raised the risk of the sampling system being compromised.

Ultimately, the process was costing Racing Victoria time and money, and creating unnecessary compliance risks.  

The solution

CGI partnered with Racing Victoria to solve the problem, by building a digital sampling platform to track and record urine samples collected on race days. Our goal was to create a secure, accurate & efficient process that could be quickly and easily completed via mobile app.

CGI helped deliver an Australian racing industry first that helped solve their problem and transform their traditional processes through:

• Automation of manual paperwork by replacing sample identity documents and the chain of custody so all information is recorded electronically without timely data entry.
• Automated data integration by collecting information and automatically feeding it into Racing Victoria’s national database
• Full traceability and historical record keeping of past sample tests to guarantee sampling authenticity and legitimacy
• Mandatory, mobile enabled ID scanning and digital signature authentication to improve security, verify stakeholders and reduce the margin for human error
• A mobile app for Apple and Android with custom UX design for better accessibility and ease of use
• Digitisation of workflows, evidentiary trials, and auditing functions to improve user experience

The digital transformation, data integration, and app rollout fundamentally changed how Racing Victoria conducts an essential compliance process at race meets.

Racing Victoria’s new paperless journey:

1. The horse arrives at the vet and is identified by Racing Victoria staff responsible for sample collection
2. Trainer nominates authorised representative for sample collection (usually the strapper)
3. Sealed sample kit is opened under trainer representative supervision
4. A sample is collected, packaged, and sealed into bottles
5. Each sample is given a unique code that is recorded via the phone app
6. The witness is asked to confirm that the app data matches the physical sample present
7. Witness identifies themselves with industry pass and completes a digitally signed declaration. This also applies to the Racing Victoria staff member responsible for sample processing
8. The trainer receives a copy of the sample identity document via email
9. The sample is securely stored and delivered to an accredited lab for analysis

The project referenced in this case study was delivered by Unico, which CGI acquired in March 2022.