News Article

BIG6 Hunter Cup Security Modified

05 February 2009

Natalie Rasmussen and Blacks A Fake celebrate last year's Hunter Cup win

Natalie Rasmussen and Blacks A Fake celebrate last year's Hunter Cup win Photo by Gary Wild

Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) has today announced that it has modified its pre-race security for the $400,000 BIG6 Hunter Cup, to be run this Saturday night at Moonee Valley, owing to the extreme weather forecast on the day of the race.

Under the conditions of the nation’s richest handicap, all runners engaged were required to present at the Geelong Harness Racing Club where the HRV retention facility has operated over the last two seasons as part of the pre-race security arrangements for its feature races.
With a forecast maximum of 43˚C predicted on Saturday, together with northerly winds up to 45km per hour, HRV has announced that horses will no longer be required to attend the Geelong retention facility from this Friday, February 6 as planned.
Instead, pre-race security guards will now attend the stable of each engaged runner on Friday to maintain constant surveillance of the horses until race time on Saturday evening.
HRV integrity and veterinary staff will also attend each stable on numerous occasions during this period and collect samples from each runner for analysis.
“In the interests of horse and participant welfare we have made the decision to modify our pre-race security arrangements for this Saturday night’s BIG6 Hunter Cup given the forecast oppressive conditions,” HRV Chief Executive, John Anderson, said.
“Following last week’s run of excessively high temperatures throughout Victoria, we have been particularly conscious of the conditions leading into this week’s grand finale of the Sky Channel Nights Of Glory carnival and given the forecast we feel this is the right decision to make.
“Our integrity department have been working hard to finalise alternate arrangements and I can assure the industry and the punting public that the integrity of our premier race will be upheld under the revised arrangements.
“Security guards will be stationed with each horse from Friday until race time and our integrity staff and vets will be making numerous unscheduled visits to each stable throughout this period to support the surveillance exercise.
“I would like to reiterate that we remain committed to the use of a retention facility for our feature races, now and into the future, but given the oppressive conditions forecast we were obliged to do everything within our powers to protect the welfare of the horses and participants involved.”
HRV staff will liaise directly with all trainers regarding the modified arrangements.