January 11, 2016
The Australian Turf Club will ensure a NSW Ambulance Service transport vehicle is on course at all barrier trials under a new arrangement with the NSW Ambulance Service, following today’s forced postponement of heats at Warwick Farm.
The Australian Turf Club has also today apologised for a lack of communication and agreement with participants and Racing NSW about the new system, which had begun at last week’s trials at Rosehill Gardens.
Under a new arrangement between the Club and NSW Ambulance Service from January 1 this year, a paramedic and a rapid response vehicle, or a paramedic and a transport vehicle dependant on the Service’s availability of resources, were to be stationed on course for all barrier trials.
This has now been revised to ensure a transport vehicle is on course as a minimum requirement for all trials, including for tomorrow morning’s heats at Royal Randwick.
Australian Turf Club Chief Executive Officer Darren Pearce said the Club would compensate connections for any extra financial cost incurred by today’s postponement.
“The ATC has been in discussions with the NSW Ambulance Service for some time, and new arrangements were agreed on the understanding that these would not compromise access to immediate treatment or patient safety in any way,” Mr Pearce said.
“Unfortunately we didn’t communicate and get agreement on the new arrangements as we should have, which lead to today’s reaction, and we apologise for that breakdown.
“In consultation with Racing NSW, we have now put in place procedures for a NSW Ambulance Service transport vehicle to be on course at all times during trials.”
Today’s set of Warwick Farm trials have been rescheduled for Thursday, and new nominations for those heats have been called until 11am tomorrow.
Tomorrow’s Royal Randwick trials will go ahead as planned, with arrangements being made to allow Group 1 horses affected by today’s postponement to trial in those heats, including Gary Portelli’s Rebel Dane.