Ahead of a forecast period of high temperatures across the state, Racing Victoria (RV) has moved to enact its Procedure for Racing in Hot Weather and has amended the race times for two race meetings over the coming days.
RV has been monitoring the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) forecasts for the venues scheduled to host races on Friday and Saturday and, at the close of acceptances this morning, moved to program races earlier at Stawell’s meeting on Friday, 6 January and the Caulfield meeting on Saturday, 7 January to minimise racing during the predicted hottest part of the day.
Following is the current status of meetings programmed across Victoria in the coming days.
Friday, 6 January
Stawell
With a forecast maximum temperature of 35 degrees, race times for Friday’s Stawell meeting have been brought forward by an hour with the meeting to now begin at 12.25pm and finish at 4pm. This will ensure that six of the eight races programmed are conducted outside the forecast hottest period of the day which is between 3pm and 6pm.
The full fields for Friday’s race meeting at Stawell are available here.
Cranbourne
The status of Friday’s Cranbourne meeting remains unchanged with a forecast maximum of 31 degrees and the race meeting not commencing until 6.30pm.
Saturday, 7 January
Caulfield
With a forecast maximum temperature of 36 degrees for Melbourne on Saturday, race times at Caulfield have been brought forward with the meeting now scheduled to begin at 12.30pm and finish at 5,20pm, instead of 5.55pm. This will ensure that the majority of the nine-race program is conducted outside the forecast hottest period of the day which is between 3pm and 6pm.
The full fields for Saturday’s race meeting at Caulfield are available here.
Kilmore & Dederang (Picnic)
RV will continue to monitor the BoM forecast for Kilmore and Dederang on Saturday ahead of tomorrow’s close of acceptances for the respective meetings. The current forecast maximum for Kilmore is 35 degrees while Dederang is forecast to reach a maximum of 37 degrees.
At race meetings for which the forecast ambient temperature is at or exceeds 35 degrees, a series of mandatory processes for RV’s Raceday Operations Department, Veterinary Department, Stewards, Clerks of the Course and the host race club are outlined in the Procedure for Racing in Hot Weather.
These measures, which are designed to minimise the effect of heat on both horses and humans, include the following:
- Monitor temperature and weather conditions throughout the race meeting, including the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT);
- Monitor the conditions of horses regularly throughout the race meeting in the raceday stalls, mounting yard and barriers;
- Provision of additional on-course veterinarians to inspect horses and monitor post-race recovery;
- Increased availability of ice and cold water in the raceday stalls and mounting yard;
- Reducing the time horses are required to parade in the mounting yard prior to and post each race;
- Reducing the time for which horses are required to arrive on track ahead of a race;
- Amending start times for races to avoid the hottest period of the day; and
- Transferring, postponing or abandoning a race meeting.
RV will continue to monitor forecasts and liaise with the BoM over the coming days with any important announcements regarding the status of race meetings or amended start times to be communicated as required.