Contingencies In Place For TAB Million Dollar Chase

THE fate of the fast approaching TAB Million Dollar Chase is hanging in the balance as the Covid outbreak in New South Wales intensifies.

With NSW bracing for the stark realisation that the current lockdown measures could continue deep into August, Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) have begun identifying contingencies for its flagship event.

"The situation is constantly evolving day by day, and we can only manage what is in front of us right now," GRNSW Chief Operating Officer Wayne Billett said.

"That's why we made the decision on Sunday to pause racing at Wentworth Park."

It's just 26 days until Temora is scheduled to host the first round of regional heats of the TAB Million Dollar Chase on August 8.

A flurry of qualifiers will then follow around the state in the countdown to the Grand Final at Wentworth Park on Saturday, September 25.

But with GRNSW currently employing zoned racing to mitigate travel and interstate borders by and large closed to NSW, the complexities around the staging of this year's Million Dollar Chase could prove significant.

"Naturally we have considered the prospect of a lockdown potentially still being in place when the TAB Million Dollar Chase is scheduled to commence in August," Billett said.

"We have gone through a number of contingency plans, but now is the time to be dealing with the current situation, and any announcement will be made when it is appropriate, and required."

On Tuesday, NSW recorded 89 new Covid cases including one outside the Greater Sydney region at Goulburn after an essential worker travelled from Sydney to the state's south for work.