Racing Victoria (RV) has today released the Race Dates for the remaining seven months of the 2020-21 racing season, being January to July 2021.
The initial five months from August to December 2020 were released in June 2020, however the 2021 dates were held over due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following further consultation with Clubs and consideration of both the impacts and status of the pandemic, the 2020-21 Race Dates have now been finalised.
As previously announced as part of the industry’s review of the working week, RV will trial a race-free week over the next two years at the conclusion of the season.
No race meetings or official trials have been programmed in Victoria from Monday, 26 July 2021 to Friday, 30 July 2021. This will be repeated in July 2022.
This follows on from no race meetings being scheduled on Christmas Eve in order to give participants a two-day break from racing. This trial will occur in 2020 and 2021.
While the Race Dates remain largely consistent with previous seasons, one change of note is the shift of the VRC’s Rapid Racing meeting at Flemington from Sunday twilight to a Friday twilight fixture on 29 January 2021.
The VRC will also run their other January meetings on the 1st, 9th and 16th as twilight fixtures.
Beyond that, the date for the third edition of the world’s richest mile race, The All-Star Mile, has also been confirmed for Saturday, 13 March 2020 at The Valley – retaining its position as a signature race in the Festival of Racing, one week after Super Saturday at Flemington.
RV Executive General Manager – Racing, Greg Carpenter, said, “We are pleased to be able to provide our Clubs and racing fans with some certainty around Race Dates for the remainder of the 2020-21 racing season, as we largely look to mirror that offered in the previous season.
“Whilst racing has been able to continue throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it has affected our community race meetings across the picnic and non-TAB circuit.
“With a better understanding of the impacts of the pandemic, along with the great progress that Victoria has made over recent months, we are now in a position to confirm our schedule of meetings for January to July 2021.
“With the second running of The All-Star Mile run behind closed doors at the commencement of the pandemic, we are hopeful that next year’s running at The Valley on Saturday, 13 March will be a chance for people to gather and enjoy the world’s richest mile race trackside.
“We are also looking forward to the trial of a week free from racing and official trials at the end of the season. This will give industry participants a well-deserved break and again, we’re hopeful that people will be in a position to take advantage of this.
“On behalf of RV, I would like to thank our Race Clubs and key stakeholders who have worked tirelessly for the industry throughout an extraordinary year and acknowledge their input into the finalisation of the 2020-21 Race Dates.”
To view the full schedule of the January to July 2021 Victorian Race Dates click here.
Following are the key dates of note:
- 22 January 2021 – Australia Stakes (Moonee Valley)
- 29 January 2021 – Rapid Racing (Flemington)
- 6 February 2021 – Orr Stakes (Caulfield)
- 20 February 2021 – Blue Diamond Stakes (Caulfield)
- 27 February 2021 – Australian Guineas (Flemington)
- 6 March 2021 – Super Saturday (Flemington)
- 13 March 2021 – All-Star Mile (The Valley)
- 19 March 2021 – Final Group 1 of the season (William Reid Stakes, Moonee Valley)