Racing NSW has come to the rescue of Southern District racing participants and delivered an emergency funding relief package as a form of compensation for nine consecutive washed-out meetings in September.
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Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’Landys announced on October 11 an emergency funding relief package of up to $500,000 for trainers and owners in the Southern District Racing Association (SDRA).
This is in addition to race meetings that have been scheduled where possible.
Mr V’Landys said Racing NSW wanted to help where they could.
“The funding relief is a response to the uncharacteristically high rate of abandoned race meetings in the southern and western regions in the past six weeks,” he said.
“Racing NSW is fully committed to our participants and this was the appropriate action to compensate trainers and owners.”
Racing NSW identified horses that had accepted in cancelled meetings and will contact trainers in coming weeks to organise relief.
A $1000 payment will be made: $500 to the owner and $500 to the trainer.
Funding (via application) is also available for any significant storm damage caused to a trainer’s property or supplies by the rain, wind or flooding.
Wagga trainer Gary Colvin will soon start the clean up after flood waters forced he and his team out.
He was pleased to hear about Racing NSW’s funding package.
“It’s bloody great,” Mr Colvin said.
“It’s great to see them do that sort of stuff.
“It’s hard on the owners, too, not just the trainers, because their horses aren’t running. We’ve been poking around for a couple of months without racing and they have got to pay the bills. We miss out on the cream because we’re missing out on percentages.
Mr Colvin said relief packages like these helped give owners confidence in the racing industry.
“We’ve got to keep people involved in racing,” he said.
“Calling off these races, people start shaking their heads and it’s hard on everyone.”