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Mt Isa Race Club – Saturday 1 December – Race Meeting Abandoned

29 November 2018

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Racing Queensland confirms that following consultation with and on the recommendation of the QRIC, the Mt Isa race meeting on Saturday 1 December has been abandoned.

The decision has been made on the basis that:

  • The extreme hot weather conditions forecasted to be 43-44°C for Saturday and the ensuing days in the Mt Isa region present concerns for the welfare of the horses traveling to and competing at the race meeting; and
  • Potential jockey welfare concerns given the predicted temperatures.

Given the forecasted conditions, the decision to abandon the meeting has been made 48 hours in advance of its scheduled commencement to mitigate the risk of humans and animals travelling in extreme heat conditions on raceday when the likelihood of an abandonment would be high.

Consideration was also given to amending the race times to potentially avoid the hottest part of the day, however it was concluded that the predicted timing of the oppressive heat conditions deemed this untenable.

As a consequence of the abandonment, Mt Isa Race Club made formal application to conduct a betting ‘phantom’ race meeting on Saturday 1 December, a request which has subsequently been approved by QRIC and RQ.

The decision has also been made by RQ following the race meeting’s abandonment to program an additional two races at the Mt Isa Race Club race meeting on Saturday 8 December.  They are:

  • QTIS  Maiden Plate Three-Year-Old & Up Set Weights      1200m    $7,000 + applicable QTIS bonuses
  • Benchmark 65 Handicap    900m    $7,000

Mindful of other racing opportunities potentially lost with the 1 December meeting’s abandonment, RQ will also adopt an aggressive approach to the potential division of races on the 8 December Mt Isa program should acceptance numbers deem it appropriate.