Warragul Pacing Cup cancelled

While the sport continues at the moment subject to strict biosecurity measures, Harness Racing Victoria has announced a redesign of its existing racing calendar, with race meetings to be rescheduled to specific venues and participants to be linked with tracks in their immediate areas to minimise unnecessary travel.

 

Therefore, for the immediate future, racing for local participants will be restricted to the Cranbourne and Kilmore tracks.

 

Participants located in the designated area on the map determined by HRV will only be allowed to travel between and race their horses at those two tracks until at least April 12.

 

While it is a disappointing decision to lose their premier event, the Warragul Harness Racing Club was initially faced with the prospect of running a "ghost" meeting with no spectators, and only essential officials and competitors.

 

Other clubs which have conducted their Cup in the last fortnight had to face this reality, having already allocated funds to marketing and advertising.

 

There may be a possibility of rescheduling Warragul's feature raceday to later in the year, although that would seem unlikely given the reluctance to program extra racing at Warragul in recent years.

 

While the club will not take a significant financial hit by losing its premier meeting it does lose a rare opportunity to showcase the sport of trotting to a local audience.

It is hoped racing will resume in time for Warragul's meeting on the Queens Birthday Holiday.

 

The last time there was no Warragul Cup run during a racing year was in 1988 when the present racetrack was under construction.