The Australian Turf Club (ATC) has today announced that Warwick Farm Racecourse will host the Group 1 Randwick Guineas Day meeting on Saturday, 16 March as upgrades to Royal Randwick near completion.
The ATC has confirmed its schedule of program changes with Tabcorp and Racing NSW for the remainder of the 2013 season throughout the closing stages of construction of the new grandstand at Royal Randwick and the refurbishment of the Kensington track.
ATC CEO Darren Pearce said that since construction of the grandstand began in December 2011 all scheduled Group 1 races have been held at Royal Randwick, but in preparation for an exciting April some sacrifices must be made to achieve the best outcomes.
“The priority ahead of the BMW Sydney Carnival is to give construction company Brookfield Multiplex an unimpeded run to complete as much as possible ahead of David Jones Australian Derby Day at Royal Randwick on 13 April,” Mr Pearce said.
“As announced by our Chairman, John Cornish, at the ATC AGM earlier this month, we will conduct a staged launch program at Royal Randwick. We are looking to have about 60% of the new facility operational for three spectacular days of racing.
“Brookfield Multiplex will work through the Christmas and New Year period and will confirm at the end of January 2013 their most likely final position.”
The Kensington track upgrade announced in November 2012 will result in additional alterations to programming. Of the five meetings originally scheduled for the Kensington course during the March – June period, two will remain at Royal Randwick and will now be run on the course proper.
The other three will be run at Warwick Farm, Canterbury and Gosford.
Source : Australian Turf Club
