Eased racing restrictions give hope for southwest meets

More changes to racing zones has opened extra meets in the west, and local trainers are calling for a return to normal in their COVID-free towns.

AN EXPANDED reach for the western racing industry has been welcomed by country trainers, who have been subject to stringent location-based restrictions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the first time in months, southwest trainers travelled to Barcaldine, entering runners in a 10-race program on Saturday; it followed this month's revisions to Racing Queensland's 'designated racing regions', implemented to stop any spread of coronavirus.

Under the recent changes, all of western Queensland has been opened to trainers and jockeys who live in the region, offering more races and a chance to recoup income lost because of cancelled meets.

While the trip to Barcaldine was a positive for Roma-based trainer Wayne Baker, he said the zonal restrictions have posed their fair share of challenges for everyone on the western circuit.

"The zones haven't stopped us racing, and Barcaldine has been a welcome addition under the new zones - Saturday was the first time we have been able to race there since the zones were set up," he said.

"But the zone restrictions have really affected a lot of trainers and jockeys.

"Jockeys are hard to come by - our area (in the southwest) only has about seven or eight.

"Even under this new zone we are fairly limited, because the jockeys from places like Mt Isa and Longreach can't always justify coming this far south, so it can be hard to get riders."

Racing Queensland has revised its 'designated racing regions' in response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the racing regions were introduced in late March, only select race clubs have been permitted to hold meetings.

In the current Greater Western zone, racing is restricted to just six locations: Roma, Charleville, Barcaldine, Longreach, Mt Isa, and Cloncurry.

The zone's border sits just east of Roma, dividing it from regions which have recorded cases of COVID-19, and with no cases recorded in other locations of Great Western, Baker is making a case for a faster return to the regular racing program.

"We are a clean zone," he said.

"I feel they should open up the whole area, where we have not had any cases, and we should be able to have meets at places like Cunnamulla, Quilpie, St George, and Birdsville. "Obviously it isn't my call to make - that is up to the Chief Health Officer and authorities - but we are a clean area.

"(Because of this) I'm hopeful the big races like Birdsville, Bedourie, Betoota and the Roma Cup can go ahead later in the year."

Since pandemic restrictions were introduced in March, TAB race meets have gone ahead without spectators, who are the major source of income for all race clubs.

It means bringing patrons back to the racecourses will be a vital step in returning the industry, and local race clubs, to normal operations, and with landmark races like the Birdsville Races and Roma Cup looming later in the year, trainers are trying to keep a positive outlook on the situation.

Roma-based trainer Craig Smith believes those late events may still have a chance.

"Under the current restrictions, I think those clubs will have to make a decision by July, but if there are no more cases (of COVID-19), we may have a chance of doing that Birdsville trip," he said.

"I think the Roma Cup in November has plenty of time to go ahead, and I certainly hope it does from a Roma Turf Club point of view, because it is the biggest meeting of the year, and it stands the club in good stead for the next 12 months - it is something everyone in our town benefits greatly from."

Originally published as