New design approved after controversy

Prominent racehorse owner Brae Sokolski has had great success in the industry, having shared in the ownership of Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and The Everest winners.

Speaking to The AJN, Sokolski said that racehorse owners rarely change their silk colours as they are considered to be a brand, akin to a family crest, but he decided to change his silks to express pride and solidarity with the Jewish community.

“You don’t change your colours flippantly. However, I reflected on my colours and the fact that they didn’t have any particular meaning, which most people’s colours don’t, but I had something very deep-seated in me that wanted to use my colours as a means to show my pride and strength in my Jewish heritage, in the context of our community being under siege and make a statement. The statement, not a political statement, being that we should be proud of our Jewish heritage and not allow anyone to diminish it or pressure us to hide it.”

In the first instance, he changed his colours to what appeared to resemble an Israeli flag on the jockey’s sleeve, which were registered in Queensland, and were worn by his horse Harry Met Sally to a victory at Ballarat on March 10.

Unsurprisingly this drew a lot of attention, and Racing Victoria (RV) told Sokolski the colours would not be permitted again, as they breached Local Rule 66A (1), which prohibits racing silks that promote a “political, religious or social agenda statement”. The controversy spread interstate when, on March 11, Racing NSW prevented the design from being used at Warwick Farm, as an application to register the colours in NSW had already been refused.

Racing Queensland subsequently deregistered the original silks after finding the manufactured version did not match the approved description.

Sokolski felt there was a double standard at play as other horse owners had colours that arguably breached this rule. He wrote a detailed submission to RV, and through a long process worked on a revised design that has now been approved. Instead of an Israeli flag, the new approved colours feature a large Magen David on the front and back of the jockey’s shirt.

RV chief executive Aaron Morrison welcomed the outcome.

“After an earlier design was not approved, we worked constructively with Mr Sokolski to find an outcome that recognised his intent, demonstrated support and remained consistent with Racing Victoria’s rules,” he said.

Morrison added that RV joins Sokolski “in supporting the large Jewish community in Australia, particularly those within the racing industry”.

Sokolski is pleased with the revised design. “I think we achieved an outcome that actually is better than the original set of colours.

“The Magen David colours are not just about me as an individual but my broader family and generations to come. My nephew, Ollie, is similarly obsessed with racing and I know he will adopt these colours as of course will my son, Wolfe, who is only 3 months old but has already watched more horse racing than most adults!”

Harry Met Sally became the first horse to carry the revised silks, at Sandown on Easter Monday.

Discussing his motivation with The AJN, Sokolski shared that while he had always been proudly Jewish it was not at the forefront of his public identity, but said, “Since October 7, it’s gone from mattering very little to mattering more than anything.”

On courting controversy he said, “It wasn’t about trying to be confrontational … I’m a big believer in doing what you can as a member of the Jewish community, whatever that may be … and I think it’s incumbent on everyone in the Jewish community to stand up and be counted where they can. And I do obviously have some level of influence in the racing industry and a profile, and this is my way of using that profile and making it clear not just that I stand with the Jewish community, but also for those people in the racing industry and people who follow racing, I want them to know that I’m Jewish and I’m proud of it.

“I think this has been a really important instrument in enabling me to do that, and I’ve had overwhelming support within the industry for that initiative.”

Sokolski added it has made him even more committed to finding his next champion horse and having it race in those colours, so he said, “Watch this space.”