Races at risk: doubts about island race season

SPECULATION surrounding the seven scheduled King Island Race Club meetings and the future of the race club has become an all-too-familiar annual discussion. 

The interstate trainers, who rescued both the club and the 2023 and 2024 racing seasons, have yet to commit to 2025. 

Earlier this year, Tas Racing announced the race dates for the 2024-25 Summer Racing Carnival. 

The King Island Race Club indicated that funds raised from the imported horses’ winnings for the 2025 season would now be distributed through an application process managed by Tas Racing. 

However, Tas Racing is yet to provide details on the application process, eligibility, selection criteria, or deadlines. 

Racing Club president Audrey Hamer confirmed that there have been discussions with Tas Racing, but was unable to comment at this time. “We haven’t organised anything yet. 

I don’t know if there are trainers who want to be involved,” Henry Dwyer, leader of the Miners Rest trainer syndicate, said this week. 

“I imagine we will send horses again, but nothing has been finalised. 

“We’re quite good at pulling things together at the last minute—that’s how we’ve done it before, but there’s nothing organised.” 

The Victorian trainers saved the day in 2023 when a shortage of trainers and horses threatened to cancel the iconic island race meets and potentially fold the historic race club. Their efforts also introduced the Miners Rest Cup, held on Maritime Day. 

These trainers saw an opportunity to keep the King Island Cup running for another season while also laying the groundwork for a sustainable future for the Racing Club. 

“This novel concept was designed to promote racing on King Island, boost tourism, support local charities, and create an annual revenue stream for the club, all while celebrating our shared passion for racing,” the Miners Rest team explained. 

“The idea was for the Miners Rest Cup to benefit the entire racing season, not just the event itself, by showcasing all that the club and the King Island community have to offer and encouraging visitors to incorporate horse racing into their trip.” 

The interstate trainers sent untried horses to the island, where they were locally trained, increasing the number of horses racing and making the season viable.

For the past two years local charities and sports clubs have benefited from the race winnings from these imported horses, along with the Miners Rest Cup event.