Latest News

COVID-19 Update for Industry Participants (13 July 2021)

The announcement today by the NSW Government of continuing high numbers of COVID-19 cases in the Greater Sydney Area (with areas of Liverpool, Bankstown and Fairfield of high concern) has resulted in Racing NSW taking the following action to ensure that COVID-19 does not impact the ongoing viability of the NSW thoroughbred racing industry.

Fairfield Local Government Area

Public Health Orders issued today requires that any person who resides or is staying in the Fairfield Local Government Area (LGA) must get a COVID-19 test every 72 hours (three days) if they are travelling for essential work purposes. The Fairfield LGA map is below. Suburbs within the Fairfield LGA include Abbotsbury, Bonnyrigg, Bossley Park, Cabramatta, Cecil Park, Fairfield, Horsley Park, Lansdowne, Old Guilford, Prairiewood and Smithfield

Accordingly, all Essential Personnel that reside in this area must ensure that;

1. Racing NSW has been advised they reside or are staying in such area. Stablehands should report this to their trainer who are required to advise Racing NSW.
2. Every 72 hours (three days) Essential Personnel residing in the Fairfield LGA must undertake a COVID-19 test and report the negative finding to Racing NSW.
3. Essential Personnel that return a positive test must immediately report the results to Racing NSW.

It is recommended that all COVID-19 tests are conducted at drive through facilities to avoid close contact with other persons. Drive through testing sites can be found at the link below.

Click Here - Drive Through Testing Sites

Greater Sydney Area – Travel to and from

Requirements for COVID-19 Negative Tests (commencing 13 July 2021)

Travel from Greater Sydney to Regional Areas

Any Essential Personnel that reside or have been to the Greater Sydney Area since 12 July 2021 and wish to attend a racecourse or licensed premises (including race meetings, barrier trials or trackwork) in a Regional Area (outside the Greater Sydney Area) must provide Racing NSW Stewards with a negative COVID-19 test, taken within 72 hours prior to attending the racecourse or licensed premises in a Regional Area. Further once such test is taken, Essential Personnel must not leave their place of residence other than for work purposes or absolutely essential purposes only (even if other activities would be technically permitted under the reasonable excuses in the NSW Government orders).

Test results should be sent to steward@racingnsw.com.au

Essential Personnel intended to travel to a racecourse or licensed premises in a Regional Area should ensure that they have proof of a negative COVID-19 obtained within the previous 72-hours test before they depart the Greater Sydney Area to avoid the risk that they will not have received it by the time they are seeking to enter the racecourse or licensed premises located in a Regional Area.

Travel to Greater Sydney from Regional Areas

Any Essential Personnel that reside in Regional Areas and travel into the Greater Sydney Area (whether to attend a racecourse or licensed premises or for any other reasons) after 12 July 2021 must provide Racing NSW Stewards with a negative COVID-19 test prior to attending a racecourse or licensed premises when returning back to a Regional Area.

Test results should be sent to steward@racingnsw.com.au

Further, NSW Government Orders require that any person that resides in a Regional Area but attends or had attended the Greater Sydney Area on or after 21 June 2021 are subject to strict Stay at Home orders, which means that they are not permitted to leave homes without a reasonable excuse. The reasonable excuses currently listed in the NSW Government orders are set out in the next paragraph. Visiting family or friends is not a reasonable excuse. This applies to Essential Personnel to attend race meetings within the Greater Sydney Area.

Leaving Home for Absolutely Essential Purposes Only

All participants, particularly those in the Greater Sydney Area, are requested to limit their movements during the lockdown period to avoid being exposed to COVID-19 and risking the industry. Under the current NSW Government COVID-19 Stay at Home orders, persons are not permitted to leave their homes without a reasonable excuse. Reasonable excuse currently includes essential work or education, shopping for food or other essential goods and services, medical care or compassionate needs and outdoor exercise with no more than 2 people. Visiting family and friends is not permitted under those Stay at Home orders.

During these times of heightened risk, wherever possible participants should try to further limit the time that they leave their homes and do so when only absolutely essential, even if technically permitted under the reasonable excuses. The vigilance of the NSW racing participants in going over and above the technical legal restrictions will provide a further layer of protection from the COVID-19 virus infiltrating the NSW racing industry and jeopardising its ongoing viability.

Exposure Sites

All participants are required to check on a daily basis the updated list of exposure sites and public transport modes that are considered close and casual contacts throughout the Greater Sydney Area found at the link below.

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/nsw-covid-19-case-locations

Racing NSW requires any person that has been to the venues listed in the link above, to follow NSW Health Orders, get test and self-isolate as directed. Further those persons must not attend a NSW racecourse or licensed premises until such time that they provide Racing NSW with a negative COVID-19 test result and approval is given from Racing NSW to resume attendance. All licensed persons, officials and service providers must report to Racing NSW Stewards if they have been to such locations.

QR Codes

The NSW Government has mandated the use of QR codes for public premises and businesses. Whilst specifically racing stables are not required by the orders to require QR check-ins on entry, Racing NSW encourages all stables in the Greater Sydney Area to install G+QR codes at the entrance to their stables.

Mandatory Wearing of Face Masks (N95 or KN95)

Mandatory face masks (N95 or surgical) are to be worn by all persons attending a NSW race meeting. Further, Essential Personnel working at racecourses, licensed premises or stables in the Greater Sydney Area (including trackwork, jump outs and barrier trials) must wear a face mask at all times.

N95 masks are the most effective mask to prevent the spread of the Delta strain and accordingly persons are requested to use this type of mask. At a minimum surgical mask must be worn. Cloth masks are ineffective against the Delta strain and therefore their use is not permitted.

Mandatory face masks (N95 or surgical) are to be worn by all persons including Essential Personnel and patrons (where permitted) at race meetings and barrier trials conducted throughout NSW.

Government orders mandate that face masks must be worn at all times when in an indoor area of a non-residential premises throughout NSW. Premises include in the workplace, such as inside stable premises or offices.

The link below provides instructions as to how to fit the N95 mask to ensure it is providing the best protection from COVID-19.

https://racingnsw.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/ESVbT6Kx08hDtrMaI9pIP_YBujX_YTmElh6qB7f7ifgdYg?e=4ZG50I

Monitoring for symptoms and Temperature Checking

All employers (including trainers, race clubs and service providers) within the Greater Sydney Area must conduct mandatory temperature testing of all staff when they arrive at work on each occasion.

COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. Most infected people will develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalization.

Most common symptoms:

• fever
• dry cough
• tiredness
• Less common symptoms:
• aches and pains
• sore throat
• diarrhoea
• conjunctivitis
• headache
• loss of taste or smell
• a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes

Serious symptoms:

• difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
• chest pain or pressure.
• loss of speech or movement.

Any participant with the slightest of symptoms listed above should not attend work, get tested and self-isolate until they receive a negative result. This must be reported to Racing NSW.

On average it takes 5–6 days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however it can take up to 14 days.

Race Meetings (to be read in conjunction with release on 30 June 2021)

Race clubs throughout NSW must ensure that persons attending race meetings have not attended exposure sites in the link below and wear a face mask.

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/nsw-covid-19-case-locations

Only Essential Personnel may attend race meetings within the Greater Sydney Area. Owners are not permitted to attend race meetings, barrier trials, trackwork and licensed premises in the Greater Sydney Area.

Temperature checks must be conducted at all entrances to race meetings within the Greater Sydney Area.