COVID-19 sent a scare through the Victorian racing industry on Tuesday when a jockey set to ride in Ballarat was linked to a tier one exposure site.
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Racing Victoria stewards delayed the eight-race card at Sportsbet-Ballarat by 30 minutes after learning of the issue.
The extra time was needed to secure new riders for several runners in the opening event, with some 13 jockeys stood down and replaced at the meeting.
This necessitated more than 30 rider changes.
"Racing Victoria has become aware that a family member of a jockey, who rode at race meetings on the weekend, has attended a Victorian tier one COVID-19 exposure site," a Racing Victoria statement.said.
"Acting on the advice of RV's chief medical officer and in an abundance of caution, several jockeys who rode at these meetings have been stood down and advised not to attend a licensed premises until further notice.
SHAY Keating went on to lead another successful day for Ballarat trainers on the synthetic track.
Keating had a double with Sebastian Fox ($4.80) in the The Haymarket 3yo Maiden, 1400m, and Steel The Moment ($51) in the Polytrack Maiden, 1000m.
Tony and Calvin McEvoy won with Strike Eagle ($2.40 favourite) in the Cervus Equipment Maiden, 1200m; Universal Lady ($2 favourite) in the Porter Plant Benchmark58, 1000m, and Scarlett Heart ($8.50) in the Sportsbet Benchmark64, 1400m, gave Ciaron Maher-David Eustace a double; and Hunka Hunka Harry ($10.10) won for Daniel Kelly in the Hygain Winners Choice Benchmark58, 1200m.
RESULTS
1-AJM CONTRACTING MDN PLATE 1400m: 4.60 QUICK ENUFF (b m 4y Rich Enuff - Bee Ali. Trainer: Symon Wilde) 57.5 (C Newitt) 1, 2.70 fav STAGGER TOGETHER 59.5 (D W Stackhouse) 2, 10.00 DARMAN 59.5 (Jarrod Fry) 3. Then followed: 16.00 Vladking 2.90 Victory Colours 21.00 Eyestryke 101.00 Silviluvzit 26.00 Beside The Sea last. All started. 4-3/4 len, 1/2 len. Time: 1:25.95. (No sect time).
2-THE HAYMARKET MDN PLATE 1400m: 4.80 SEBASTIAN THE FOX (b g 3y Foxwedge - High Above. Trainer: Shay Keating) 58 (Jarrod Fry) 1, 3.60 fav QUITE THE LASS 56 (Lachlan Neindorf) 2, 6.50 KING OF PHARAOHS 58 (C Newitt) 3. Then followed: 4.00 Aquila Volare 8.00 She Juggles 31.00 Toropeak 9.00 Awesome Spirit 41.00 Annie's Comet last. Scr: Bruja, Halcyon East. Lg hd, lg nk. Time: 1:26.13. (No sect time).
3-CERVUS EQUIPMENT MDN PLATE 1200m: 2.40 fav STRIKE EAGLE (b g 3y More Than Ready (USA) - Assertive Eagle. Trainer: T & C McEvoy) 57 (L Currie) 1, 17.00 DALSUPA 59.5 (Tahlia Hope) 2, 7.50 MT BULLER 57 (D W Stackhouse) 3. Then followed: 11.00 Sweet Tycoon 15.00 Victoria Falls 2.70 Teleporter 61.00 Kahungunu 41.00 Our Duke last. Scr: Kia Hohe, Far Too Tempting, Starz Barwon. 1-1/2 len, 1-1/4 len. Time: 1:13.10. (No sect time).
4-POLYTRACK MDN PLATE 1000m: 51.00 STEEL THE MOMENT (br/bl g 4y Dissident - Broadway Harmony. Trainer: Shay Keating) 59.5 (Jarrod Fry) 1, 10.00 SODALICIOUS 57.5 (L Currie) 2, 9.00 TOP CRITIC 57.5 (Ben Allen) 3. Then followed: 10.00 Lumber Punk 2.40 fav Defining 18.00 Zouwest 16.00 Delivery Man 21.00 Greenhill Prince 26.00 Sunnyside Cottage 3.90 The Queens Riches last. Scr: Toffee Nuts, Searchlight, Tadweer, Bachvara, Listen, Covert, Autumn Rose. 1-1/4 len, sht hd. Time: 0:59.38. (No sect time).
5-PORTER PLANT (BM58) 1000m: 2.00 fav UNIVERSAL LADY (b m 4y Exceed And Excel - Bound For Earth. Trainer: C Maher & D Eustace) 61 (Jye Mc Neill) 1, 6.50 LICCIARDI 61 (Ben Allen) 2, 4.00 KOSOWSKI 66 carr 62 (Heidi Gillie) 3. Then followed: 26.00 Hay Cliffy 21.00 Cardice 14.00 Magnus A Go Go 11.00 The Bont 21.00 Koa last. Scr: Fleet Dreams. 3/4 len, 3/4 len. Time: 0:59.19. (No sect time).
6-HYGAIN WINNERS CHOICE (BM58) 2100m: 3.30 fav MR MISCHIEF (b g 6y Good Journey (USA) - Seeyatomoro. Trainer: P A Jones) 62.5 (Jarrod Fry) 1, 5.00 FULL KNOTS AHEAD 61 (C Newitt) 2, 17.00 CHARCOAL ANNIE 59.5 (Tahlia Hope) 3. Then followed: 5.50 Sassoon 4.00 Dreambound 5.50 Zoudini last. Scr: Miss Harriette. 4-1/2 len, len. Time: 2:12.46. (No sect time).
7-SPORTSBET SET A LIMIT (BM64) 1400m: 8.50 SCARLETT HEART (ch m 5y Stryker - Izba. Trainer: C Maher & D Eustace) 59 (Ben Allen) 1, 2.40 fav NIGHT PASSAGE 58 carr 56.5 (Celine Gaudray) 2, 9.50 REBELLIOUS LORD 60 carr 58 (Tayla Childs) 3. Then followed: 17.00 Regal Rossa 51.00 Numero Quatre 3.70 Court Deep 8.50 Ize Fairdinkum 21.00 Telemarketer 101.00 Puzzling Wonder 26.00 Apologetic last. All started. 1-1/4 len, lg nk. Time: 1:24.88. (No sect time).
8-HYGAIN WINNERS CHOICE (BM58) 1200m: 10.00 HUNKA HUNKA HARRY (ch g 6y Turffontein - Princess Abassi. Trainer: Daniel Kelly) 62 (Alana Kelly) 1, 4.40 SNAPPY MAGNUS 65 (C Newitt) 2, 5.00 LADY TAVISTA 60.5 (Fred W Kersley) 3. Then followed: 4.20 fav Power Station 6.50 Zakurak 51.00 Buddy For Nothing 5.50 Cataracta 11.00 Cheronkoh last. Scr: Honeywine, Tsushima. 1-1/4 len, 1-1/4 len. Time: 1:12.24. (No sect time).