Canberra Racing Club appoints Chris Polglase as equine welfare officer

Polglase will be tasked with overseeing the welfare of horses in training and racing at Thoroughbred Park as well as in retirement.

He spent 16 years as a Racing NSW steward and now Polglase enters his new role with a wealth of experience in the thoroughbred racing industry, with much of it centred on compliance.

"Chris is a fantastic addition to the team and brings with him a high level of integrity and a genuine passion for horses," Canberra Racing Club chief executive Andrew Clark said.

"The appointment is further evidence of the Canberra Racing Club's ambition to be an industry leader in equine welfare.

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"Chris will work closely with industry stakeholders to ensure a sound and broad welfare framework is implemented, ensuring safety throughout each stage of the horse's life."

Polglase's appointment comes as the club prepares to turn away horses, trainers and jockeys at their December 29 meeting if they are based in areas cut off by the ACT government.

The uncertainty caused by the emergence of a coronavirus cluster in Sydney has left entire competitions scrambling to work out if games can go ahead of if they should be postponed, while players from Canberra's top teams are unable to see family based in Sydney over the Christmas break.

It is another setback in a year in which patrons were kept away from Thoroughbred Park for the majority, but Polglase is determined to kickstart a safer new era for the sport.

"I am excited to be able to contribute to better equine welfare - an issue I care deeply about. It is a positive move from the club to seek to build on its already strong efforts in this area." Polglase said.

"Having worked in various roles at Thoroughbred Park over the last 22 years, I look forward to working alongside many familiar and new faces to achieve the best welfare outcomes both on and off the track".