25th March – SA Racing continuing ‘with caution’

Racing is continuing “with caution” in South Australia, as the industry adopts a raft of measures and protocols to ensure all participants remain safe from COVID-19.

Thoroughbred Racing South Australia (TRSA) and all its employees and industry parties and participants continue to heed the latest up-to-date government advice and direction.

Importantly, TRSA has also implemented a list of industry-specific measures and procedures, on top of the mandatory temperature checks for all persons before they enter SA tracks on race days and for tomorrow’s trials at Strathalbyn.

This includes a new condition prohibiting the use of both strappers’ bibs and horse earmuffs, further eliminating the threat of human contact and contamination through these items.

On top of the mandatory social-distancing policies that apply across the wider community (being vigilantly monitored and maintained within the racing cohort), TRSA has employed extra protocols for race days:
– As a TRSA prerequisite, stewards require the name of all stable employees who will be attending each meeting. All trainers and stable employees will be required to provide their current TRSA ID card to gain entry to any course (associate cards are not permitted).

– Each trainer is able to nominate one – and only one – licensed stable employee per horse to attend the meeting. These nominated stable employees must actively be engaged in walking that horse into and around the mounting yard and in the race-day stalls area.

– Only trainers or licensed foremen are permitted in the area of the mounting yard where pre-race and post-race discussions take place with riders.

– Stable employees who have finished their duties and are required to stay on course must remain in the race-day stalls area.

Failure to comply with any of the above directions will result in immediate removal from the course and may result in action being taken against both the trainer and/or stable employee.

TRSA makes no apologies for its hard-line approach, but thanks all for their compliance and understanding as it continues to put protocols in place to enable racing to continue in South Australia.

TRSA has taken further precautions by postponing its apprentice academy classroom session and scaling back its office to essential staff only, with the bulk of staff working remotely.

TRSA is tasked with protecting the estimated 800 small businesses and over 3600 people employed in SA directly as a result of thoroughbred racing in our state.

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