The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of another popular sporting event.
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The Wycheproof Cup, scheduled for Derby Day on October 31, has been cancelled by Racing Victoria.
Traditionally, the event attracts thousands of people to the small town that has a population of about 650.
The announcement follows last month's decision to cancel the Gunbower Cup meeting on October 3 and the Manangatang Cup meeting on October 10.
"The various Clubs impacted by these cancellations have been involved in reaching this decision and I would like to thank them for their support and cooperation throughout this process,'' Country Racing Victoria chief executive Scott Whiteman said.
"While it is a difficult decision to make, it's the right outcome for those regional communities, and we all look forward to seeing these iconic country meetings return in 2021".
Racing Victoria has announced several changes to the spring racing calendar because of the COVID-19 pandemic:
- All picnic meetings from Saturday, 24 October (the scheduled commencement of the 2020-21 picnic racing season) up to and including Saturday, 7 November have been cancelled which will affect meetings at Alexandra, Healesville, Mansfield and Balnarring;
- With confirmation that the AFL Grand Final public holiday will be on Friday, 23 October, the Benalla Cup, which has been conducted on this public holiday in recent years, will move to this date. As a result, the Echuca meeting originally scheduled for 23 October moves to Monday, 26 October;
- The St Arnaud Cup meeting scheduled for Saturday, 24 October will move to Sunday, 25 October where it will now be afforded coverage on Racing.com and SKY Racing;
- The Mortlake Cup meeting on Saturday, 31 October will move to Sunday, 1 November to maximise coverage on Racing.com and SKY Racing, leaving Flemington and Traralgon as the remaining two Victorian meetings on Derby Day;
- The Wycheproof Cup meeting on Saturday, 31 October has been cancelled; and
- All non-TAB meetings on Melbourne Cup Day (Tuesday, 3 November), that being Cranbourne, Bairnsdale, Wangaratta and Mildura, have been cancelled leaving Flemington and the TAB meeting at Echuca as the two Victorian race meetings to be conducted on Cup Day.
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