Today, Harness Racing New South Wales (HRNSW) confirmed the official who worked at the Penrith harness racing meeting last Thursday, March 19, has tested positive to COVID-19.
Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) has suspended harness racing immediately as a precautionary measure and is working with HRNSW and the State Government.
“HRNSW has informed us today of the official’s positive test result for COVID-19,” HRV Dayle Brown said.
“We’ve been prudent and cautious to protect the health and wellbeing of our participants from the start. We suspended our race meeting yesterday as soon as we were informed that a New South Wales official had come into contact with a COVID-19 case. We don’t make those decisions lightly, but health is paramount.
“We have today suspended racing indefinitely as a precautionary measure and we’ll be advised by the Chief Health Officer as we work on the next steps.
“Victorian participants attended the Bathurst harness racing meeting on Friday March 20 and we are working to find out if there has been any subsequent contact between at-risk individuals and those people.
“We’re committed to advising industry participants of updates as soon as possible but for now racing in Victoria is suspended.”
Media enquiries: cwinnell@hrv.org.au