MOREE Race Club’s seven-race TAB meeting today – the club’s first for 2025 – was postponed due to smoke rolling across the southern end of the racecourse.

Moree firefighters with two units fought blazes along the banks of the Broadwater Creek and surrounding scrubland close to homes on Webb Avenue for several hours.

The race meeting, with the first event scheduled to start at 2.10pm, was delayed as long as possible but stewards Jack Prior and Kyle Blanch called a postponement at 3.30pm due to the safety and welfare of not only the horses and jockeys, but also racecourse staff and patrons.

The main area of concern was the stretch of track approaching the turn into the home straight.

Racing NSW issued a statement: “Today’s Moree race meeting has been postponed due to smoke conditions surrounding a section of the racecourse. Acting on veterinary advice and in consultation with senior jockeys after conditions failed to improve, the decision was made to postpone today’s race meeting.”

Today’s Moree races were postponed due to smoke conditions surrounding a section of the racecourse.

Club president Rob Mather said race times were rescheduled several times during the afternoon in the hope the meeting could go ahead.

“We couldn’t keep delaying and putting race times back – I understand that – and it’s a pity the meeting couldn’t go ahead as planned,” Mather said.

“I truly feel sorry for the people and the horses that have travelled a long way. Many drove six or seven hours to get here and now they have to turn around and travel six or seven hours to get home, without a run.

“It doesn’t do the horses any good, and it doesn’t do the owners, trainers and jockeys any good, either,” he said.

A rescheduled date for the meeting has not been set.