"I think Victoria is already becoming the home of stayers, with lots of clubs lengthening races," he said.

"The success of the Melbourne Cup means that horses need to race 2300metres or more to qualify."

Mr Roulstan, a bloodstock agent who lost one of his own horses in a jumps race mishap in late April, told his audience at last Wednesday's opening of the Mornington Racing Club's Chairman's Marquee that a "complete review" would be held after the end of the current jumps season.

The review would investigate ways to make jumps racing safer, but could also lead to its demise.

Mr Roulstan said an investigation after the death of his horse Hanging Rock at Yarra Valley racecourse had put the crash down to "horse error". Jockey Trent Wells was unhurt.

Hanging Rock was the fourth horse to die in four days and placed Racing Minister Rob Hulls under increased pressure to ban jumps racing in Victoria.

The Yarra Valley race meeting was being held to raise money for bushfire victims and was attended by many children and their families.

Mr Roulstan said jumps racing was facing an "uncertain future because it has been picked up by the mainstream media and is influencing public opinion".

While an end to jumps racing would place pressure on some clubs, Mornington was "safe" and had already extended the distance raced at the Mornington Cup to 2400metres, allowing competing horses to qualify for the Melbourne Cup.

He said Warrnambool Racing Club may have to "reinvent itself - it's future would be very bleak".

"Some clubs could close, but Mornington has nothing to fear."

Mr Roulstan said he would have preferred restrictions on the use of conventional whips rather than the use of padded whips, which came into effect at the start of this month.

Restrictions have also been added to the use of padded whips, leading to the suspension and fining this week of jockeys Brad Rawiller and Dale Smith.

Both jockeys pleaded guilty to breaking the new rules, which limit the number of times a whip can be used, but have appealed against the severity of their sentences - missing four meetings and losing their riding fees and winning percentages.

Under the new rules, jockeys are banned from whipping a horse more than five times before the final 200metres of a race and not in three or more consecutive strides in the last 200metres.