Benefits from first-rate racing response to crisis

The first day of this merging was at Ipswich on Labour Day in a significant move forward.

Ipswich racing is gaining momentum again with a stream of Sunday meetings. Picture: Claire Power

TURF CHAT

AS has happened across the wider Queensland community, restrictions began to ease last week on racing.

The most notable easing was allowing the north and south metropolitan zones to merge.

The first day of this merging was at Ipswich on Labour Day last week in a significant move forward for not just the sport of racing but the entire community.

Racing has been able to continue on through the COVID-19 crisis, in the process supplying economic, social, community, and employment benefits while all other mainstream sports and many industries came to a standstill.

The response from the racing administrators in Queensland was first rate and timely to allow racing to continue as other sports began closing down almost two months ago.

The first major impact on Ipswich racing was the announcement that the June Ipswich Cup would be without patrons, if at all.

This move was taken by the Ipswich Turf Club in the interests of continued racing for as long as possible at a time of great uncertainty.

Racing Queensland further divided thoroughbred racing into clever zones, including the two zones of metropolitan racing, being north and south SEQ Metropolitan regions. This provided a back-up plan and isolation of different geographical locations of racing if there was to be a virus outbreak in a particular area.

Thankfully the restrictions to further reduce threats of outbreaks have been successful within these zones as the overall plan has had pleasing results to date.

Ipswich is in the South Metropolitan region along with Gold Coast and Toowoomba. The north zone included Brisbane and Sunshine Coast.

The merging of these two zones last week allows jockeys and equines to travel between zones however only on race day. Therefore, a range of restrictions remain in place although the initial easing has many hoping it is a sign of things to come.

Ipswich excelling on Sundays

AS Racing Queensland works towards restoring some normality to thoroughbred programming across the state, the June program has been released.

As Ipswich was originally programmed for just the two meetings, including Ipswich Cup Day during the month, there are only two dates currently programmed.

These are Sunday June 7 and Wednesday June 17 as the track continues to ease back to normal operations after five and a half months off for track repairs and another couple of months affected by coronavirus restrictions.

This programming also allows an additional meeting to be added to Ipswich during the month depending on how other tracks are faring under the winter workload.

This program also means that there are three Sunday meetings over the next four weeks at Ipswich although the final two Sundays in June go to the Sunshine Coast, the predominant Sunday race club in Queensland for the past 20 years.

Ipswich will have conducted five Sunday meetings from mid-April to mid-June with great success based on wagering turnover.

This success has raised the question around Ipswich becoming a regular Sunday racing track which could perhaps suit the new facility, which will include a seven-day-a-week sports lounge and restaurant.

Russian Camelot impresses

THE Group 1 Derby South Australian Derby on the weekend went to exciting young staying prospect Russian Camelot.

This northern hemisphere bred three-year-old led a top of the betting trifecta in order defeating Dalasan and VRC Derby winner Warning.

In winning, Russian Camelot moved to $11 favourite for the 2020 Melbourne Cup as market framers took into account northern hemisphere three year old form over the past three years. This has included winners Rekindling (2017) and Cross Counter (2018), as well as the unlucky place getter Il Paradiso last year.

Next meetings

IPSWICH racing is on Sundays May 17 and May 24, before June 7 and then Wednesday June 17.

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