Racegoers will be able to get up close and personal with horses, trainers and jockeys on Ballarat Cup Day on Saturday with COVID-19 restrictions eased by Racing Victoria.
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The mounting yard and inside the confines of stabling areas will remain the only zones which remain out of bounds for non-licensed and non-essential raceday personnel with the return of greater on-course freedoms for the public.
Ballarat Turf Club chief executive officer Belinda Glass said the removal of the industry zone, which had been in place since RV introduced strict on-course protocols at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak early last year, was great news for Cup Day.
She said it would make it a much better raceday experience for the 5000 people permitted to attend.
Glass said the club had already been upbeat about getting people back on course - last year's Ballarat Cup was run behind closed doors - and the RV announcement on Tuesday added another level of excitement.
She said the removal of zones would also make it operationally easier, with staff able to move freely across the course.
The mounting yard closure is dictated by density limitations, which continue to be in place.
Glass said there was not the space to allow owners into this area.
She said owners, with other racegoers, would still be able to watch horses parade at close quarters from outside the mounting yard fence, as well as viewing areas in the stabling area.
Glass said winning owners would be given special post-race access to the mounting yard for presentations.
The removal of the raceday "racing bubble" came as a pleasant surprise for the BTC, with RV originally planning to make the changes on Saturday, November 27.
While fully vaccinated spectators have been permitted to attend selected Victorian race meetings since Saturday, October 30, the on-course bubble has been required to separate the fully vaccinated spectators and partially vaccinated participants.
RV says that with more than 98 per cent of Victorian participants now fully vaccinated, the decision has been made to bring forward the removal of the racing bubble by one week to both assist the country clubs hosting feature race meetings.
Under the amended protocol announced today, the following will apply:
- any licensed, registered or permitted participant who is not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 cannot attend a race meeting in Victoria in any capacity from this Saturday,November 20, 2021 until such time as they are;
- participants, like spectators, will be required to show their digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate upon arrival at a race meeting to be granted entry. From Saturday, November 20, 2021 no other proof of vaccination status will be accepted unless an exemption is granted by RV; and
- any licensed, registered or permitted participant who remains only partially vaccinated against COVID can continue to attend a public training centre until Friday, November 26, 2021 at which time the order to be fully vaccinated takes effect.
In accordance with the amended protocol, owners are advised that the following will initially apply with the removal of the racing bubble on Saturday, November 20, 2021:
- access to the viewing areas around the raceday stalls will be permitted, as will any interactions outside the mounting yard with a trainer and/or their staff;
- access to the mounting yard for owners is now allowed but may not be permitted at some tracks and will be restricted at others owing to the size of the available viewing areas and the need to maintain appropriate social distancing. Owners are asked to monitor the respective club's website and the acceptance email for their horse for further information;
- where entry to the mounting yard is prohibited for owners at a race meeting, clubs will allow designated winning owner(s) to enter and participate in the presentation of trophies following a feature race if the presentation is being conducted in the mounting yard; and
- where entry to the mounting yard is permitted for owners, access to the neighbouring indoors scales area remains prohibited.
As has occurred throughout the pandemic, RV will continue to review all protocols on an ongoing basis and make changes where necessary to ensure the safe continuation of racing and training within Victoria.
In making this announcement, RV notes that face masks remain compulsory indoors at all Victorian racecourses until otherwise advised and that they are recommended outdoors where social distancing is not possible.
