Racing NSW and Canberra club to meet

Racing NSW is to meet with the Canberra Racing Club to try to reach a resolution whether the area should be classed as country or provincial.

Canberra currently has country status but this year raced in the Provincial Championship series won by local Maryore.

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys said the administrative body would meet with the club next Wednesday.

“We will meet next week and the club will be representing the trainers,” V’landys said.

“We won’t make any comment until after the meeting.”

The trainers based at the Canberra track held a meeting on Monday amid reports of the upcoming change.

If they are classed as provincial, they will be excluded from running horses in the popular Highway races in Sydney on Saturdays which are worth $60,000.

Canberra trainers have an imposing record in Highway races led by Matt Dale who has won nine, one less than Murwillumbah’s Matt Dunn.

Six of the 12 acceptances for Saturday’s Highway Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill are from Canberra including the Dale-trained Surprise Party.