Horse racing is one of the few sports that has continued through the current public health crisis, with strict measures put in place to keep the horses, jockeys, trainers and staff out on the track.
At the start of the week, Racing Victoria announced it had cancelled all flat trials across the state due to ongoing measures to ensure the safety of all participants from COVID-19.
The planned trials at the Tatura racetrack on April 14 have been cancelled, but they can still conduct jump-outs with local horses, being only those prepared at the training centre or where the trainer has nominated the centre.
To make matters worse, one of the leading hoops in the state, Mark Zahra, was tested for COVID-19 after he was notified of sharing a flight with a confirmed case of coronavirus.
Luckily, Zahra's test result came back negative on Thursday night.
But Zahra's ordeal halted all Victorian race meets on Wednesday and Thursday, and if there are to be any positive cases, it could potentially shut down the racing industry like so many other sports in Australia and across the world.
Tatura Racing Club manager John Dight said the local racetrack's biggest concern was the long-term future.
“The hard part is the unknown,” he said.
“But over the past three years, we have been planning for our survival, due to our numbers waning over those past couple of years.
“For us, we feel that the long-term future is the big issue, not the short-term.”
Dight said it was crucial for one of the biggest sporting industries in the country to remain afloat during these testing times.
“It's absolutely vital to continue racing, for all the participants mainly,” he said.
“There are over 25 000 people employed in the industry.
“But like everyone, this (coronavirus) is a bigger deal than just sport, hopefully we can all get through it together.”
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