Racing will return to Sydney Sept. 8 after the Department of Primary Industries approved the conducting of an in-house meeting at Warwick Farm.
The meeting will be held under strict bio-security measures with only race-day participants allowed into the western Sydney track. Only horses already quarantined at the track will be involved in the race meeting and only stewards, trainers, strappers, and jockeys will be allowed at the racecourse. No members of the public will be allowed trackside, but they will be able to watch race broadcasts.
The precautions were deemed necessary because of a widespread outbreak of equine influenza in New South Wales, Australia.
Racing also returns to Canberra’s Thoroughbred Park Sept. 7 after the club was cleared to conduct the seven-race program. Chief executive Peter Stubbs confirmed that, unlike the in-house Warwick Farm meeting, Canberra's program will be open to the general public.
Said Stubbs: “The plan that was approved allows entry for the public under restricted zoning. We will have a red zone that is restricted to people associated with running the race meeting and horse activities and track activities. A green zone will be for the public and both those zones will be separated by an orange zone.”
