The Rockhampton Jockey Club's winter racing carnival has been deferred to a date to be fixed because of Covid-19.
Club chief executive officer Tony Fenlon said the carnival, in which the Rockhampton Cup and Newmarket Handicap are the marquee events, would not proceed as originally planned in mid-winter.
He also suggested uncertainty shadowed the RJC's proposed spring carnival.
"Our XXXX Gold Winter Racing Carnival will not be proceeding under its normal format in July and our Spring Racing Carnival is still an unknown. Our winter carnival has been deferred to a date yet to be confirmed or advised by Racing Queensland and could well become a summer carnival," Mr Fenlon said.
"Race programs will also need to be amended to suit the time of year that this new carnival may be held. With that in mind Racing Queensland have a massive job on their hands to program for the entire State of Queensland."
Additionally, Covid-19 has caused the cancellation of the 2020 Dingo races. A spokesman said restrictions on gatherings and people movement prevented Dingo officials from holding working bees to prepare the track for its once-a-year meeting in August.
"Also we feel it would be wrong to ask our wonderful sponsors for donations during these tough times," a spokesman said.
"We are very saddened by this but can promise 2021 is going to go off with a bang."
The Dingo club also lost a majority of its 2019 program when the track was accidentally while a water truck was being used for dust suppression.
Alan Welburn
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
