Following Tuesday evening’s announcement of resumed COVID-19 restrictions NZTR and Stipendiary Stewards met and agreed the following:

1. Persons and venues within the Auckland Super-City region must comply with NZTR Level 3 Directive “Protocols for training, trialling and racing under COVID-19 Alert Level 3” (link to Directive).
2. Persons or venues that are outside the Auckland Super-City region must comply with NZTR Level 2 Directive “Protocols for training and racing under COVID-19 Alert Level 2” (link to Directive).

The government announcement impacts upcoming race meetings as follows:

• Riders resident in Auckland on the evening of 11 August are stood down from booked rides at the Taupo race meeting and will not be able take rides at race meetings during the alert level 3 period.  NZTR has been advised that Leith Innes is already in Taupo so may ride on Wednesday should he wish.
• Any horses nominated for Taupo that are stabled in the Auckland Super-City region are scratched.
• As a precautionary approach the Whangarei RC meeting at Ruakaka has been postponed to Sunday 16 August.*  NZTR will confirm the running of this meeting by Saturday 10am.
• The Taupo, Riccarton and Waverley meetings will be permitted to operate under Level 2 Protocols.  For these meetings, NZTR permits Jockeys to be booked for rides even if they are not resident in the island that the meeting is conducted. Crowds will be limited to gatherings of no more than 100 people.
• Contact tracing and temperature checking procedures will also be in place.

Trainers based within the Auckland Super-City region may work their horses under Level 3 Training protocols. 

Further announcements will be provided on 12 August.  * The Ruakaka meeting has now been cancelled.