Racing Victoria (RV) wishes to advise of changes to July’s bet365 Mildura Cup Carnival in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As previously communicated, the Mildura Racing Club (MRC) have not hosted a race meeting since the introduction of biosecurity protocols in March in order to reduce the travel required by participants and officials.
Following consultation with the MRC and Country Racing Victoria (CRV), it has been determined that the two-day Carnival, originally scheduled for Friday, 24 July and Saturday, 25 July, will be reduced to one day only and transferred to Swan Hill.
The meeting on Friday, 24 July will be run at Swan Hill with the program, outlined below, to include the $90,000 Mildura Cup.
A replacement meeting will not be scheduled on Saturday, 25 July at this stage. RV will retain the flexibility to program a new meeting on that day at an appropriate location should the racing population at the time require it.
Mildura was set to host one other race meeting for the remainder of the 2019-20 season on Monday, 22 June with this meeting also transferred to Swan Hill.
RV Executive General Manager – Racing, Greg Carpenter, said: “Whilst today’s announced changes to the Mildura Cup Carnival are not ideal for the Club, these are unprecedented times and we must continue to work within the current biosecurity protocols in order to ensure the safe continuation of racing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I would like to acknowledge the MRC for their support and understanding in achieving this outcome and look forward to the running of the Mildura Cup, albeit at Swan Hill, which is always a highlight of the country racing calendar.”
MRC Club Manager, Jarratt Farley, said: “Whilst the MRC is disappointed not to be hosting the bet365 Mildura Cup this season due the COVID-19 pandemic we wholeheartedly agree with the decision that has been made.
“The MRC support and congratulate RV and the protocols that have been put in place to ensure racing has been able to continue in Victoria even though these decisions have limited the ability to race at Mildura.
“We would like to thank CRV and RV for providing the opportunity for the bet365 Mildura Cup meeting to still go ahead in these extraordinary times and also thank the Swan Hill Jockey Club for hosting this race meeting.
“The MRC look forward to hosting future race meetings as soon as possible and are excited about returning to the two-day Carnival format in 2021.”
The race program for Swan Hill on Friday 24 July is as follows:
SWAN HILL – FRIDAY, 24 JULY
|
Race
|
Distance
|
Prizemoney
|
3YO Maiden Plate
|
1200m
|
$31,500
|
4YO+ Maiden Plate
|
1200m
|
$31,500
|
Maiden Plate
|
1600m
|
$31,500
|
BM58 Handicap
|
975m
|
$31,500
|
BM58 Handicap
|
1600m
|
$31,500
|
BM64 Handicap
|
1200m
|
$31,500
|
BM64 Handicap
|
2400m
|
$31,500
|
Mildura Cup
|
1300m
|
$90,000
|
Nominations: 12noon, Monday 20 July
Acceptances: 9am, Wednesday 22 July
The updated program with distance changes for the Swan Hill meeting on Monday, 22 June is as follows:
SWAN HILL – MONDAY, 22 JUNE
|
Race
|
Distance
|
Prizemoney
|
3YO Maiden Plate
|
1200m
|
$20,700
|
Maiden Plate
|
975m (was 1000m)
|
$20,700
|
4YO+ Maiden Plate
|
1200m
|
$20,700
|
Maiden Plate
|
1600m (was 2000m)
|
$20,700
|
BM58 Handicap
|
975m (was 1100m)
|
$20,000
|
BM58 Handicap
|
1200m
|
$20,000
|
BM58 Handicap
|
1600m (was 1400m)
|
$20,000
|
BM58 Handicap
|
2400m (was 2000m)
|
$20,000
|
Nominations: 12noon, Wednesday 17 June
Acceptances: 8:30am, Friday 19 July