The Victoria Racing Club hopes Victoria wins its Covid vaccination race in time to host crowds at the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews left the door open for at least a reduced crowd for November’s Melbourne Cup at Flemington.
Andrews announced significant changes for the state with many sectors to fully reopen once Victoria hits a vaccination rate of 80 per cent for those aged 16 or over.
Burnet Institute modelling suggests Victoria will hit the 80 per cent threshold on November 5, three days after the Melbourne Cup.
The government road map out of the Covid lockdown has all but ruled out crowds for the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate for the second straight year.
However, Andrews said he would like to see crowds at the Melbourne Cup, which would be first major event in Victoria since the state’s Delta crisis erupted in June.
“It is the race that stops the nation. I want it to be held in as normal circumstances as possible,” Andrews said in his Sunday press conference.
“But 80 per cent is the marker that opens our state.”
Andrews did not give a figure on how many people would be able to attend, nor in what setting would be required for punters to be on track for the Melbourne Cup.
But he raised hope for the Victoria Racing Club.
“It would be great to think we could get it done before then and perhaps we can have a crowd of double vaccinated people,” Andrews said.
“But it’s too early for us to say that today.
“If we deliver 80 (per cent fully vaccinated in Victoria) by Cup Day or it’s really clear we are going to, we will have options to have a crowd there.
“I can’t say how big or all of that.
“It would be a great signal to the world, the rest of the country, that Victoria is open, we are back in the leading role of the major events capital, the sporting capital, racing capital for those that are taken by the sport of kings.”
The Victoria Racing Club welcomed Andrews’ comments, which chairman Neil Wilson said gave the club clarity in its planning for the 2021 Melbourne Cup Carnival.
“The 80 per cent target also gives the VRC confidence to continue to plan for crowds across the 2021 Melbourne Cup Carnival, which is a major event for Victoria and the nation,” Wilson said in a statement.
“The VRC team will continue to work closely with the Victorian Government to understand the implications for hosting a crowd at some or all four days of the 2021 Melbourne Cup Carnival and ensure that we are prepared for all potential scenarios.”
Originally published as Premier Daniel Andrews raises hope for crowds at Melbourne Cup with lockdown road map announcement
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2021-09-19 08:05:52Z
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