Further Update for WA Harness and Thoroughbred Race Meetings
Racing and Wagering Western Australia (RWWA) advises that thoroughbred racing will resume in Western Australia tomorrow – Friday 27 March at the Albany Racing Club – following confirmation that the Victorian licensed participant has tested negative for COVID-19.
All Western Australian thoroughbred race meetings were suspended yesterday, whilst a Victorian licensed participant underwent testing for COVID-19.
The eastern states participant was advised yesterday by health authorities that they were on the same flight as a confirmed case of COVID-19 when they travelled on 12 March 2020.
The restrictions on jockeys and apprentice jockeys riding trackwork tomorrow have also been lifted.
RWWA is still waiting on advice regarding test results for the NSW harness racing participant. On Tuesday, 24 March 2020, RWWA abandoned Gloucester Park’s race meeting, after receiving advice in relation to a NSW-racing official who had been in contact with a person confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19. That NSW racing official was present at a harness meeting in Penrith on Thursday 19 March; the same meeting attended by a NSW licensed driver who travelled to Perth and drove at the Friday 20 March Gloucester Park meeting.
In the event that the test result is not known for the harness participant by 12 noon tomorrow, the Gloucester Park meeting will be postponed, with a further announcement to be made on any necessary programming changes.
RWWA made the decision to suspend harness and thoroughbred racing as a precautionary measure, whilst any potential implications are investigated for Western Australian personnel who may have subsequently come into direct contact with the impacted participants.
The safety and wellbeing of the racing industry as well as the wider community are of paramount concern to RWWA when making these decisions.