TASMANIA’S harness racing industry has received a major boost for next season with 16 additional meetings scheduled to be broadcast on Sky 1.
This season a great proportion of the state’s harness meetings have been shown on Sky 2 but with more meetings to be broadcast on Sky 1 it is expected to encourage greater wagering turnover on the state’s harness product in season 2019-20.
A total of 70 thoroughbred meetings have been scheduled which includes seven meetings on King Island from late November through to late January.
The popular night thoroughbred meetings in Launceston will again be a feature of the code’s calendar with 20 meetings scheduled from Wednesday, October 16 through to April 24.
And a Saturday day thoroughbred meeting with Sky 1 coverage has been scheduled for December 7.
On Good Friday this year, Tasracing experimented with delivering a thoroughbred meeting in Launceston and a harness meeting in Hobart and that proved so successful next year they return with an additional greyhound meeting scheduled in Devonport to give Tasmania statewide racing coverage on the day.
The highlights in the schedule include:
- 70 thoroughbred meetings (including seven King Island meetings late November through to late January)
- 87 harness meetings
- 165 greyhound meetings
- 1 Saturday Day SKY 1 Thoroughbred meeting in Launceston on 7th December
- 4 Saturday Night SKY 1 Harness meetings (including the ADC on 9th November, Tassie Cup Final 14th March in Hobart with the Tassie Golden Apple Final, 21st December and the Easter Cup Final 11th April in Launceston)
- 20 thoroughbred night meetings (starts Wednesday 16th October and finishing Friday 24th April)
- 3 combined Friday night harness/greyhound meetings on 29th November (DHRC/NWGRC), 24th January (LPC/LGRC) and 28th February (DHRC/NWGRC).
- Good Friday day thoroughbred meeting in Launceston
- Good Friday day harness meeting in Hobart
- Good Friday day greyhound meeting in Devonport
Tasracing CEO Paul Eriksson said the race dates had been finalised with Sky Channel and the Clubs and we had achieved a positive result with 16 more Sky1 Harness meetings and 4 more Sky 2 Greyhound meetings.
The industry is looking forward to the return of Thoroughbred racing at Elwick after the redevelopment of the track on Sunday 2nd February.
The 2020 Hobart Cup will run on Sunday 9th February with the Launceston Cup to be held on Wednesday 26th February.