Industrial Threat Won't Put Off Cheltenham

The South Australian Jockey Club has announced that irrespective of possible industrial action by South Australian TAB staff, tomorrow's thoroughbred race meeting at Cheltenham Park will definitely go ahead.

The decision by the SAJC means that in the event of a strike the Club's on-course totalisator will run as a discrete pool for patrons at the races.

The cost of a TAB closure to the local racing industry could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars through lost turnover and the SAJC's investment in prize money.

"The Club has made a bold decision to support local racing in the face of industrial action which will have a profound effect on innocent parties  especially industry participants and PUB TAB operators." The Chief Executive of the SAJC, Matthew Benson, said today.

"We will still have a viable on-course betting environment for local and interstate races with our own Tote and the presence of bookmakers. With free admission we are anticipating a large crowd especially given the Spring racing action in Melbourne.

Of course, our wish is for the TAB to be operating as normal." Benson added.