Latest News

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory virus that Racing NSW has been closely monitoring the spread of within the community.

To ensure that racing participants take the necessary precautions to prevent contracting COVID-19, Racing NSW provides the following advice to participants in respect of ensuring they reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading within the racing community. Information provided by the Department of Health has advised that COVID-19 spreads from person to person most likely through the following ways:

• close contact with an infectious person
• contact with droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze
• touching objects or surfaces (like doorknobs or tables) that have cough or sneeze droplets from an infected person, and then touching your mouth or face

All Participants should ensure that they acquaint themselves with the following advice in respect to preventing the spread of COVID-19 and regularly practice good hygiene to protect against infections. The Department of Health recommends:

• Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
• Maintain at least 1.5 metre distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
• Practice respiratory hygiene - Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
• Avoiding close contact with others, such as touching
• Avoiding crowds and mass gatherings where it is difficult to keep the appropriate distance away from others
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth - Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.
• If you have fever (high temperature), cough or difficulty breathing, seek medical care early - Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.

 Who is at risk?
In Australia, those most at risk of getting the virus are those who have:

• Recently been in mainland China, Italy, Iran or South Korea.
• Been in close contact with someone who has a confirmed case of coronavirus.

The Australian Government considers the following countries to be at higher risk for COVID-19:

• Mainland China
• Iran
• Italy
• South Korea

You need to isolate yourself if you are at risk of getting the virus:

• If you have left, or transited through mainland China, Italy, Iran or South Korea,  in the last 14 days, you must isolate yourself for 14 days from the date of leaving that country.
• If you have been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus, you must isolate yourself for 14 days from the date of last contact with the confirmed case.

Stable Staff and Service Providers (Farriers/Float Drivers)
If you experience any of the symptoms detailed above, do not attend your workplace and notify your employer of the symptoms you are experiencing and advise of your unavailability to attend work. You should isolate yourself and immediately seek medical advice by calling Coronavirus Heath Information Line on 1800 020 080 or your medical practitioner.

Trainers
If you experience any of the symptoms detailed above, do not attend your workplace and make arrangements for a senior member of your staff to be in charge of your stable. You should isolate yourself and immediately seek medical advice by calling Coronavirus Heath Information Line on 1800 020 080 or your medical practitioner. Trainers must report any symptom experienced by an employee or themselves to their local Racing NSW Stewards. Stables that have an employee that is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms must ensure that all staff members continue to practice good hygiene and immediately report to their supervisor should they commence to display any COVID-19 symptoms. Under no circumstances should any participant experiencing COVID-19 symptoms attend any race meeting, barrier trial or public gathering.

Jockeys
If you experience any of the symptoms detailed above, do not attend any racecourse or racing stable and notify your local Racing NSW Stewards of the symptoms you are experiencing. Immediately seek medical advice by calling Coronavirus Heath Information Line on 1800 020 080 or your medical practitioner. Under no circumstances should any jockey experiencing COVID-19 symptoms attend any race meeting, barrier trial or public gathering.

On raceday jockeys should ensure that they throughout the day regularly practice good hygiene as described above. In addition, jockeys should

• Avoid unnecessary contact with other riders;
• Ensure that proper hygiene is practiced in meals areas;
• Avoid contact with other licensed persons, owners and public members;
• Immediately report to the Stewards on raceday any COVID-19 symptom they commence to experience and adhere to any direction of the Stewards who shall act upon medical advice

Also, note that spa facilities will be closed and Stewards will be sympathetic to overweight applications

Officials
If you experience any of the symptoms detailed above, do not attend any racecourse or racing stable and notify your local Racing NSW Stewards of the symptoms you are experiencing. Immediately seek medical advice by calling Coronavirus Heath Information Line on 1800 020 080 or your medical practitioner. Under no circumstances should any Official experiencing COVID-19 symptoms attend any race meeting, barrier trial or public gathering.

On raceday Officials should ensure that they throughout the day regularly practice good hygiene as described above. In addition, Officials should

• Avoid contact with licensed persons, owners and public members;
• Immediately report to the Stewards on raceday any COVID-19 symptom they commence to experience and adhere to any direction of the Stewards who shall act upon medical advice.

Coronavirus Health Information Line
Call this line if you are seeking information on novel coronavirus. The line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week - 1800 020 080.

For further information participants should contact Racing NSW Stewards on 02 9551 7500.