Don't sweat small fields

RACING NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys is not concerned about the prospect of small fields during the festive season, instead reiterating what a relief it is to be racing at all in the wake of equine influenza.
Just 73 nominations were lodged last Friday for Saturday's Rosehill meeting, and there will be only seven races and low numbers at Wednesday's Boxing Day meeting on the Kensington track at Randwick and at Thursday's Gosford meeting.
"You've got to expect smaller fields given we've just had the biggest crisis ever to hit racing," V'Landys said yesterday. "This is a time of the year when field sizes aren't huge in any case. We are back racing with a full program, and with the after-effects of EI you've got to expect that we are going to have a problem."
V'Landys said a huge number of race clubs in NSW wanted to race at this time of year to attract holidaying punters.
"All clubs have been patiently waiting to be able to promote in their area, so it is a bit hard for us to be scrooges at Christmas by saying they can't race," he said.
"But in saying that, if any meeting doesn't get the nominations to make it stand up then they will fall over."
There are 82 acceptances for the Boxing Day meeting at Randwick and V'Landys expects Saturday's Rosehill card to be bolstered when nominations, which were extended until today, are closed.
"Quite a few extra nominations should be received," V'Landys said. "A lot of trainers are creatures of habit and the nominations closed last Friday due to the Christmas week, rather than Monday."
A total of 10 meetings are programmed in NSW for Boxing Day, including a bumper day at Newcastle. The other fixtures will be held at Ballina, Bowraville, Inverell, Queanbeyan, Quirindi, Sapphire Coast, Tumut and Wauchope.
Another 10 meetings are set to be staged in NSW on New Year's Day, with Randwick to be joined by Ballina, Coffs Harbour, Gilgandra, Gundagai, Inverell, Orange, Port Macquarie, Sapphire Coast and Wallabadah. Night racing kicks back into gear at Canterbury on January 3.
V'Landys said crowds and betting turnover had been encouraging since racing in Sydney resumed earlier this month after being suspended for almost three months.
"We are gradually coming back to normal but it will take a while. When people change their habits you have to take time to expect them to change back," he said.
"We are committed to being back at the top of our game in the not too distant future and come the autumn carnival we expect racing in NSW to be thriving again.
"Plans are in place for Racing NSW to do one of our biggest ever promotions come the autumn. It will be promoted like it has never been promoted before. Tabcorp has given us a $1 million sponsorship to assist us in promoting the carnival."