Media Release
Date posted:
MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday, 19 March, 2020
COVID-19 update – NT racing
THOROUGHBRED Racing Northern Territory (TRNT), following a Board meeting held on 18 March 2020, will introduce patron-free racemeetings, in keeping with other racing jurisdictions and Government directives, until further notice.
Attendance at racemeetings in both Alice Springs and Darwin will be restricted to essential personnel only, which includes:
• Licensed trainers with runners engaged at the meeting
• Licensed jockeys with rides at the meeting
• Licensed stablehands working for trainers with runners engaged at the meeting
• TRNT Stewards, vet, starter, barrier attendants, farrier, clerks of the course, judges and photo-finish operators, ambulance services, broadcast providers, essential track maintenance staff, accredited media and restricted operational race club staff
For those permitted on-course with horses running, they will be expected to leave the racecourse immediately after the running of their events.
There will be no on-course wagering facilities, with the exception of minimal self-service terminals.
The health and well-being of all racing participants is paramount, and TRNT, the Darwin Turf Club and Alice Springs Turf Club will do everything in their power to ensure the restrictions are adhered to.
The TRNT Board also put in place the following measures:
• The Alice Springs Cup Carnival and lead-up meetings will continue in their current form, with no change to programmes or stakemoney.
• Darwin racemeetings up to the end of June will, all going well, be run as advertised, while the DTC will be releasing further information regarding the Darwin Cup Carnival (July-August) in the near future.
• TRNT took the difficult decision to abandon the country meetings at Tennant Creek (May 16) and Adelaide River (May 30). This decision was not taken lightly, and TRNT will be exploring financial assistance options for the affected clubs.
• From 19 March 2020 and until further notice, interstate jockeys (those based outside the Territory) and interstate licensed persons (trainers/stablehands) will only be permitted to ride in or work within the Northern Territory Racing Industry if they have travelled to the Northern Territory by private vehicle and/or charter flight.
For those that do enter the Northern Territory by Commercial Carriage, they will be required to self-isolate for a period of 14 days before being permitted to ride or work with horses (including raceday, trials and trackwork).
Thoroughbred Racing NT will be providing updates on COVID-19 plans and management direct to licensed participants and will continue to provide updates more broadly as and when required.
For further information please call:
Andrew O’Toole
Chief Executive - TRNT
ph: (08) 8944 7500
mob: 0429 092 261