Here it is: How racing will look for the rest of the season for each code - with only 12 venues

The draft racing calendar for the remainder of the season released today sees greyhound racing start on May 11, harness racing on May 29 and thoroughbreds on July 3.

The number of venues has been cut from 36 to 12 to minimise travel and centralise racing as close as possible to the participants and animals. All meetings will be closed to the public.

Racing Industry Transition Agency executive chair Dean McKenzie said the calendar, which was developed with the racing codes, presents a very different pattern of racing for the last few months of the year than was originally proposed.

“But if we are to resume racing this season, we must give ourselves every chance of doing that safely and minimise the threat of COVID-19.

RITA was actively working with a number of Government organisations to ensure the industry’s protocols and rules meet alert level 2 and 3 restrictions before racing resumes.

A prime factor in the venues chosen for July was the cost saving of racing at tracks with broadcast transmission by low cost fibre rather than expensive satellite uplink.

A summary of the calendar for each code for racing from May 11 to July 31, 2020:

Harness racing

• Aims to resume racing on May 29, subject to meeting relevant COVID-19 protocols

• The amended draft calendar has 37 meetings at four venues. The pre COVID-19 calendar had 36 meetings at 10 venues

• Racing will be restricted to three regions (North, Canterbury and Southland) with travel of participants restricted to their regions

Thoroughbred racing

• Aims to resume racing on July 3

• The amended calendar has 13 meetings at six venues. The pre COVID-19 calendar had 20 meetings at 17 venues

• Racing will be restricted to four regions (Northern, Central, Canterbury and Southland) with travel of participants restricted to their regions

Greyhound racing

• Racing to begin as soon as practical with a draft start in early May

• It is proposed to run 9.25 meetings a week at six venues. The pre COVID-19 calendar had nine meetings a week at seven venues

• Full meetings scheduled for Invercargill and Dunedin will be transferred to Christchurch to be closer to the racing population and to restrict travel

• Three races will be scheduled for southern-trained dogs at dual code meetings with Invercargill harness.