Racing NSW has moved the Wagga meeting from Thursday to Sunday as heatwave conditions are sweeping across the state with stewards monitoring the weather conditions for Saturday’s Wyong standalone meeting.
Temperatures are forecast to hit well into the 40s at Wagga on Thursday, so Racing NSW stewards decided to move the meeting as they did for a Rosehill Saturday meeting last month.
“It’s going to be 44 in Wagga on Thursday, so it is a welfare issue, and we put it back to Sunday,” chief steward Tom Moxon said.
“With the heatwave over the next few days we are monitoring the conditions for Parkes on Friday and Wyong on Saturday, where the temperatures are forecasted to get up in the high 30s.”
“We are going to be proactive when it comes to extreme weather.”
It will be a financial loss for Racing NSW with Wagga called off, there will be no meeting in the state on Thursday.
NSW Trainers’ Association chief executive Richard Callander congratulated Racing NSW on its approach to hot weather this summer.
“Racing NSW are showing that the welfare of horses, trainers, jockeys and everyone going to these meetings is more important than racing’s bottom line,” Callander said.
“They took a hard decision to move a Saturday at Rosehill last month, and the policy continues to be implemented around the state.”
“We are constantly working with the stewards and Racing NSW on any meeting where the welfare is an issue because of hot weather.”
It comes as Racing Victoria cancelled its Sandown meeting on Wednesday due to hot weather.
