Coronavirus: Racing shutdown averted as leading jockey Mark Zahra is cleared in COVID-19 test

Mark Zahra says he doesn’t get too stressed but the jockey was still relieved to get the news of his negative coronavirus test - and he reveals a couple interesting ways to pass the time while waiting for the results.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 21: Craig Williams (green cap) on Castelvecchio wins race 6 the Sky Racing Active Rosehill Guineas during 2020 Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens on March 21, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

• Positive COVID-19 test shuts down Vic harness racing
• Victorian jockey warms to self-isolation

Top jockey Mark Zahra is a laid back character and, although the immediate future of the Australian racing industry hinged on the result of his COVID-19 test, he didn’t change his persona.

Zahra was confident as he was fit and healthy he would return a negative to the test but he had thought about the ramifications for the industry if he tested positive.

“I don’t get too stressed but I was relieved when I got the news I was all clear. To be honest we spend most of our lives being flat out it was nice to have a day where you could sit back and relax.”

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Mark Zahra is back riding on Friday.

Zahra said he spent Thursday with his feet up and playing Xbox with his wife, Elyse, with a glass of red wine as he waited for the verdict.

Zahra was first alerted to the situation that he had sat near someone on a flight back from Sydney who had tested positive to COVID-19 on Wednesday afternoon.

Zahra said a last-minute decision to change flights led him to the predicament.

“I was flying back on the 1pm flight and that got delayed to 3pm. I spotted a flight going at midday so I got on that quickly. I wish I didn’t do that.”

Zahra was allocated a seat in the back emergency row and he didn’t sit next to anyone.

“The health authorities contacted Dr Gary Zimmerman and he quickly alerted me. I rang my wife, my mum and dad, my two brothers and sister quickly while Gary alerted the racing fraternity.”

Zahra said he was buoyed by the news on Thursday morning that Hugh Bowman and Tommy Berry had tested negative to COVID-19 but also knew the incubation period to get the disease was 14 days.

“I can tell you the testing procedure was uncomfortable. They stuck tubes all over the place. I don’t want to do that again.”

Zahra won’t be able to return to Sydney to ride at Randwick on April 4 and that has cost him rides in rich races on Super Seth in the $3 million Doncaster Mile and Santa Ana Lane in the $2.5 million T.J. Smith Stakes.

“It’s very disappointing I can’t get back there as they are two of my favourite horses and they’re running in big races.”

He rides at Bendigo on Friday where he has five mounts including Masseuse in the $250,000 VOBIS Gold Rush and Sikandarabad in the $150,000 Bendigo Golden Mile.

As he’s in the Green Team of 21 jockeys he’s not allowed to ride trackwork and had planned to ride at more meetings this week.

As for keeping fit he said he has a gym in his house and he’ll go for a run or a walk once a day.

MARK ZAHRA

Age: 37

16 GROUP 1 WINS

Including 2017 Coolmore Stud Stakes — Merchant Navy

2018 VRC Sprint Classic — Santa Ana Lane

2019 T.J Smith Stakes — Santa Ana Lane

2019 Caulfield Guineas — Super Seth

2019 Caulfield Stakes — Cape Of Good Hope

2020 Black Caviar Lightning — Gytrash

BENDIGO RIDES SATURDAY

VILLA SARCHI (R2, No.12) $2.40

MASSEUSE (R4, No.7) $9.20

GOLDIFOX (R6, No.10) $41.20

SCORE (R7, No.12) $10.60

SIKANDARABAD (R8, No.10) $82.90

ODDS: TAB

Mark Zahra and Gytrash cause a boilover in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning last month.

Horse racing back on after jockey tests negative

Racing Victoria received the news they were hoping for when Mark Zahra’s COVOID-19 test came back negative late on Thursday night and racing can continue throughout Australia.

Racing will now go ahead in Victoria on Friday with meetings at Warrnambool and Pakenham.

The Australian racing industry had sweated on the result which caused racing in Victoria, Sydney, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia to grind to a halt as they had jockeys who had ridden against Zahra and now they can all resume racing.

RV’s chief executive Giles Thompson said he was relieved to get the result which paved the way for racing to resume after Sandown’s meeting ended after two races on Wednesday and meetings were abandoned on Thrsday at Kilmore and Pakenham.

“We’re really pleased for Mark that his test has come back negative. This situation has placed undue pressure on Mark through no fault of his own and I want to again publicly thank and acknowledge the professional and responsible manner in which he has acted,” Thompson said.

Zahra has five rides at Saturday’s Bendigo Golden Mile race meeting.

Zahra was informed by the NSW Health Department that when he returned to Melbourne from Sydney on March 12, the day before the lockdowns were introduced, he had sat near someone who had tested positive to coronavirus.

Zahra, had not shown any signs of ill health, but was immediately tested and subsequently racing authorities stopped race meetings throughout Australia.

Earlier in the day Racing NSW received good news when Hugh Bowman and Tommy Berry, who were tested on Wednesday night, after they became aware of Zahra’s situation tested negative as well.

Tommy Berry: good to go.

Hugh Bowman: no worries.

Four Victorian jockeys had also self tested and they had also returned negative tests.

Racing Victoria officials were always confident Zahra would be cleared as he had shown no signs of the virus but they had to wait for the result as his test went into the pool of tests in the state.

Victorian Jockeys’ Association chief executive Matt Hyland praised Zahra on acting on the information he had received immediately.

“He was contacted by New South Wales Health and told he had sat near someone on a flight back from Sydney who had tested positive to corona virus,” Hyland said.

“As soon as Mark found out he was pretty anxious and got to me and then to Dr Gary Zimmerman who arranged for him to get tested and to get the ball rolling.”

“Mark has done everything right and done nothing wrong. He was on a flight the day before the shutdown came into place.”

Originally published as Coronavirus: Racing shutdown averted as leading jockey Mark Zahra is cleared in COVID-19 test