Crowds will return to thoroughbred race meetings in Victoria this weekend with Racing Victoria and Country Racing Victoria confirming approval to host spectators.
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Under the Victorian Government's COVID-19 Public Events Framework, racing clubs can welcome limited spectators to attend where they have an approved COVIDSafe Event Plan or have completed and registered a COVIDSafe Event Checklist, depending on the number of attendees and the event's risk profile.
The first meetings to welcome patrons back on course will be Yarra Valley today and Warrnambool on Sunday.
The initial raceday experience will be a unique one. Spectators will be allocated a specific seat and will be unable to move around the racecourse, unless there is a specific reason, such as purchasing food. Clubs will also enact their COVIDSafe plans to ensure that appropriate hygiene and physical distancing arrangements are in place and records are kept to enable contact tracing. Attendees should carry face masks with them at all times for indoor use and where they are unable to meet safe distancing requirements outdoors.
To support this, RV will continue to segregate the racecourse between spectators and racing participants in the immediate future with this requirement to be regularly reviewed.
It is up to each racing club to decide whether to submit an application for spectators to attend.
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Burrumbeet Park and Windermere Racing Club president Steve Biggin said the current limit of 500 would not allow patrons on course for the New Year's Day meeting.
"That's just purely owners - I think have the first go - and then corporates and members next and we would be at capacity at that point," he said.
Biggin said the restrictions on movement on-course was problematic for his club. Even if the number increases from 500 people before January 1, Biggin said there would need to be more relaxed rules to be able to accommodate large crowds at the meeting.
"Whatever planning we start to do, we know it's going to change," he said.
"One thing is, at least it's getting easier. But we can't sell marquees, umbrellas or any of that because we just don't know."
Owners have been allowed back on regional Victorian racetracks during the past few weeks, including at last weekend's Ballarat Cup meeting.
The first metropolitan race meeting to welcome up to 500 spectators is Sandown on December 2.
