Bathurst Thoroughbred Racing Club’s license to conduct meetings has been suspended in the wake of Friday’s debacle that saw its meeting abandoned because of surface water on track.
Racing NSW chairman of stewards Ray Murrihy said the decision had been made in consultation with Racing NSW Chief Executive Mr Peter V’landys and Central Districts Racing Association Chief Steward Todd Smith.
Smith, who chaired the meeting. spoke to club officials as to the events leading up to the unacceptable situation.
After discovering surface water during its inspecting of the track, Smith and a delegation of senior jockeys looked at the area and deemed it unsafe to race.
Murrihy said the club’s license was being suspended until such time as they satisfy all Racing NSW requirements in respect to the professional conduct of race meetings.
He said an investigation by Smith uncovered what he termed “mismanagement” in that the track was watered on the morning of the race meeting.
“Racing NSW recognises that such mismanagement has not only inconvenienced many participants but has also deprived them of the opportunity of generating an income,” Murrihy said.
Racing NSW has put in place a compensation package with respect to those participants directly affected by this abandonment to be made to trainers for credit to owners accounts.
They include a $200 – base payment; $150 – transport up to 80km round trip (excluding race meetings at the horses home track); $0.60 – per kilometre travelled (after the first 80km round trip) with the maximum transport payment being $400 per horse and the total compensation payment total $600 per horse.
– Racing NSW
