The Brisbane Racing Club (BRC) on Monday afternoon announced a contingency plan for Saturday’s Doomben 10,000 meeting which sees final acceptances for all races, including the Group 1, pushed back to 11am AEST on Wednesday, May 11.
With significant rainfall forecast over the next week in the Queensland state capital, the BRC and Racing Queensland have decided that a potential switch to Eagle Farm would be the most viable option should Doomben‘s surface be deemed unfit for racing.
While the move to Eagle Farm is not ideal ahead of feature Group 1 meetings, the BRC made it abundantly clear that this weekend is one of only a few times that the transfer would be possible, given that it is in the middle of a four-week break between Queensland Guineas Day and Queensland Derby Day, so the recently renovated track would still have two weeks to recover before four-straight weeks of racing is conducted at Eagle Farm.
“Moving a race meeting from Doomben to Eagle Farm is not always possible,” the BRC said.
“However, the Doomben 10,000 meeting is in the middle of the four-week gap between Queensland Guineas Day and the Queensland Derby so a move is possible and BRC is planning for the move.
“Eagle Farm track staff held off on preparation work for Derby Day after contingency plans started last Friday.”
Should the meeting be transferred, it would require a number of minor distance changes and an adjustment to capacity field sizes, given that the rail would be moved to the 7m position.
The BRC said that all ticket holders and hospitality bookings would be accommodated as well.
The feature race of the afternoon, the Doomben 10,000 (1200m), sees a very popular favourite in early markets, with the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Mazu looking to add to his picket fence.
The son of Maurice was gelded after his spring preparation and has won four-straight races this time in, including a 1.35-length romp in the $1.1 million Arrowfield Sprint (1200m) on Day 2 of The Championships.
Mazu is currently the $2.50 all-in favourite for the Doomben 10,000 with online bookmakers.
In another blow to Doomben, Tuesday morning’s trials have been abandoned due to the state of the track.
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