Next month’s meeting between the South Australian Jockeys Association and Thoroughbred Racing South Australia will determine the future of jumps racing at Morphettville.
SAJC CEO Brenton Wilkinson said his board did not want jumps racing at Morphettville after the current season’s commitments finish on August 30.
Wilkinson, speaking today on RSN’s ‘Racing Ahead’ program on Thursday, described jumps racing as “detrimental to our brand”.
“Our Board made a decision a couple of years ago that we don’t believe it is appropriate to host jumps racing at Morphettville,” Wilkinson told RSN.
Asked why he believed jumps racing was detrimental to the club's brand, Wilkinson replied: “We find it difficult to get people to sponsor jumps racing.
“We’ve had occurrences where people are thinking of hosting a non-raceday function, but have declined because we have jumps racing at Morphettville.
Wilkinson said it was not a “kneejerk reaction to a vocal view”, but something the board had considered.
“The vocal few isn’t the issue, but it’s the damage that can be done to the brand and the perception.”
Wilkinson said an agreement was struck two years ago with TRSA, which supports jumps racing being held at Morphettville, to revisit the issue.
He said that would occur once the last jumps meeting for the season — Saturday, August 30 —- has been held.