The possibility of heatwave conditions across NSW on Friday and Saturday has Racing NSW stewards preparing to shift or reschedule race meetings in an effort to prioritise horse welfare.
Racing NSW chief steward Tom Moxon has been monitoring detailed forecasts for Sydney, Canberra and Mudgee, and has already flagged the prospect of moving Saturday’s Rosehill meeting to Sunday.
“With the forecasted conditions, we have to be proactive in terms of horse welfare and with temperatures likely to be above 35 degrees, we would want to make early decisions,” Moxon said.
Friday’s Kensington twilight meeting at Randwick remains in consideration, though Moxon noted that the coastal location typically benefits from a late breeze.
“We have a Kensington twilight meeting at Randwick on Friday, where there is generally a bit of sea breeze.”
The bigger concerns sit with Saturday’s Rosehill, Newcastle and Gunnedah programs, with Moxon hoping decisions can be made before acceptances.
Moxon has been working closely with the ATC, using its weather-tracking systems to determine whether conditions are likely to be oppressive.
“There are a couple of options for Rosehill, starting in the morning or running it later as a twilight meeting,” Moxon said. “However, with a morning meeting or twilight we will still have to run races between two and three o’clock, which would be in the heat of the day, given that there would be 10 races.”
“The weather on Sunday cools down and it’s definitely a real option to race Rosehill then.”
“We just wanted everyone to be informed about what might be happening and we’re monitoring the conditions, particularly Friday or Saturday, for all meetings across the state.”
