Racing SA and the Mount Gambier Racing Club have today announced a delay to the re-opening of the Mount Gambier track which has resulted in several programming changes for the 2021/22 racing season.
Due to the particularly wet and cold conditions experienced in recent months, it has been agreed to take a conservative approach and postpone the re-opening of the track to give the turf further time to fully establish.
This means the meetings originally scheduled at Mount Gambier in December 2021 and January 2022 will remain in the South East but now be held at Penola and Bordertown.
The Mount Gambier racing season will commence with barrier trials on Friday, 11 February 2022.
The track will officially re-open for racing with a meeting on Wednesday, 23 February, 2022, ahead of the Mount Gambier Gold Cup meeting which will be conducted on Friday, 1 April, 2022.
Racing SA CEO Nick Redin said it had been agreed with the Club to take a long-term approach to re-opening.
“We are determined to return to racing at Mount Gambier in a sustainable manner,” Redin said.
“This means taking a conservative approach and allowing the track to benefit from some warmer weather which will ensure the turf has properly bedded down.
“While the delay is unfortunate for the Mount Gambier community, we are pleased to be able to retain the scheduled December and January meetings in the South East region and we look forward to resuming racing at the track in February ahead of the feature Cup meeting which will now be in early April.”
The programming changes are as follows:
Friday, 3 December 2021: Penola to replace Mount Gambier
Wednesday, 5 January 2022: Bordertown to replace Mount Gambier
Sunday, 23 January 2022: Bordertown to replace Mount Gambier
Friday, 11 February 2022: Mount Gambier to conduct barrier trials
Wednesday, 23 February 2022: Mount Gambier to re-open for racing
Friday, 18 March 2022: Penola to replace Mount Gambier
Wednesday, 30 March 2022: Oakbank to replace Mount Gambier
Friday, 1 April 2022: Scott Group of Companies Mount Gambier Gold Cup meeting
