NEWCASTLE will host Gosford’s Saturday stand-alone metropolitan meeting, which features a record $2.1m in prizemoney.
The decision was announced by RacingNSW in a statement late on Thursday afternoon.
“Due to the current ‘Heavy 10’ rating at Gosford and with the forecast of further rainfall, including on raceday, it has been decided to transfer the meeting to Newcastle, where the track is currently a ‘Soft 7’,” the statement read.
The transfer of the meeting has necessitated both a number of distance changes and reductions in field sizes.
The $300,000 Listed Gosford Cup and Benchmark 78 Handicap, both originally 2100m, have been increased to 2200m.
A further Benchmark 78 Handicap, the $200,000 Thunder Thousand, will be run at 900m instead of 1000m.
Additionally, the fields for the $250,000 Listed Takeover Target Stakes, Midway Handicap, and TAB Highway – all 1200m races – will be restricted to 14 starters in accordance with RacingNSW policy re barrier limits.
Newcastle also staged Thursday’s transferred Wyong meeting, and the 9m rail will be moved back to the TRUE position for Saturday’s 10-race program.
Story John Curtis, May 9, 2024