Thoroughbred Park will be allowed 4000 racegoers for their flagship two-day Black Opal-Canberra Cup carnival next year in a major step back to pre-COVID life at the track.
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ACT Chief Health Officer Kerryn Coleman approved the increase this week, which will allow a maximum of 2000 on-track spectators for the March 7 Black Opal Stakes, and 2000 more the next day for the Canberra Cup.
It's a significant boost for the Canberra Racing Club which is facing a half-million dollar hit this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused debilitating crowd restrictions.
The club's last major meeting, on Melbourne Cup day, hosted just 667 fans - roughly 10 per cent of its annual intake.
And unlike Melbourne Cup day, eased restrictions will allow patrons to move between areas at the Black Opal and Canberra Cup which Thoroughbred Park chief Andrew Clark said was a huge result for the club.
"The 2000 people that we'll have on site both days will be as close as we've been to a normal race day experience in a COVID environment," Clark said.
"The approval allows people to move around the facility on Opal and Cup days. When you go to the races it's nice to be able to move around and that caused the extra hurdles we had to work our way through.
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"There will definitely still be social distancing, there'll be indicators for where to stand in line in bar and food outlets, there'll be all sorts of layers. We'll have additional cleaners on site, additional security guards for COVID marshall purposes.
"The carnival is one of Canberra's major events and brings with it a whole host of economic benefits for the community through inward domestic tourism."
Clark was expected another strong Cup field after Newcastle galloper Mugatoo claimed the prize in March this year. Mugatoo ran fourth in this year's Cox Plate.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
