Friday, 7 January 2011
Newcastle Meeting Planned To Relieve Burden On Northern Rivers
Racing NSW has added a race meeting to be staged at Broadmeadow Racecourse (Newcastle) on Tuesday, 11 January 2011 with the fields to be drawn from the Coffs Harbour and Ballina race meetings.
The meeting has been organised as both the Coffs Harbour and Ballina race meetings scheduled for Sunday (9 January) and Tuesday (11 January) appear very unlikely to proceed due to prolonged and heavy rain, in addition to recent losses of racing in the Northern Rivers.
The programme will be a hybrid of the two meetings with the races to be as close as possible as those presently programmed. As an added incentive to participants, the prizemoney for the meeting will be a minimum of $15,000 and the programme is as follows:-
Open Handicap - 1200m
Benchmark 65 Handicap - 1300m ($20,000)
Benchmark 60 Handicap - 1850m
Benchmark 50 Handicap - 1300m
Class 3 Handicap - 900m
Class 2 Handicap - 1300m
Class 1 Handicap - 1400m
Maiden Plate - 1300m
Maiden Plate - 1200m
Maiden Plate - 900m
Horses accepting at the Coffs Harbour and Ballina meetings have been automatically nominated for races with conditions similar to those for which they originally accepted at these meetings. The nominations for this Newcastle meeting can now be viewed by clicking on the following link - Noms for Newcastle (Tuesday, 11 Jan 2011) - (weights will be available later today).
Acceptances will close at 9am on Monday (Note: Trainers who had accepted for Coffs Harbour & Ballina must re-accept with RISA for Newcastle).
Given the uniqueness of the situation, travel rebates of $300 per horse will apply in addition to the appearance fee.Racing NSW Chief Executive, Peter V’landys, paid tribute to Coffs Harbour Race Club Vice-President, Michael O’Neill, for the concept of the new race meeting which was conceived following discussions with Racing NSW.
“During this prolonged period of wet weather on the North Coast it is important that participants are provided racing opportunities and I thank Mr O’Neill for this innovative solution” Mr V’landys remarked.
Racing NSW also wishes to thank Newcastle Jockey Club for their co-operative approach to staging the meeting at short notice.
How good is this idea Racing NSW should be applauded
