King Island Race Season scratched

King Islands's 2025/26 racing season has been cancelled due to an insufficient number of horses.

King Island Racing Club president Audrey Hamer said the committee was very disappointed that it had to make this devastating decision.

“Not enough trainers were able to commit with the number of horses required for a race meeting – a minimum of five races a day with a minimum field of five horses per race,” she said.

“We want to thank those trainers who were still keen to go ahead, but unfortunately the risk was too great.

“The KIRC was not prepared to rely on last minute offers of owners/trainers sending horses to King Island just before the season started. 

“The numbers would still only have been the bare minimum and would not have allowed for any horses being unable to race due to injury.”

Mrs Hamer said the KIRC had announced in March this year that the club needed to have final numbers confirmed by the end of July.

“Tasracing assisted with communication on several occasions to trainers about the season,” she said. 

“I would like to thank it for its efforts. I would also like to thank those who attended the meeting on King Island last night to show their support.”

Mrs Hamer said it is the KIRC’s intention to hold a race season in 2026/27, and that work will start on planning for this immediately.