Canberra-trained horses have been banned from competing in the weekly Highway Handicap after Racing NSW ruled the capital's facilities gave them an unfair advantage over regional rivals.
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But the ban won't be enforced until December 3, leaving the door ajar for Canberra trainers to compete at the $200,000 Anniversary Handicap at Randwick on October 14.
Racing NSW rejected an appeal to the decision after some trainers from regional areas were avoiding the Highway Handicap races because of the strength of Canberra horses.
Canberra Racing boss Peter Stubbs said the club would consider appealing the decision again, but would wait until next year to allow the dust to settle.
The $60,000 races have been lucrative option for Canberra trainers, but Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys said the ban would stand.
"In announcing its decision, the board has provided a notice period which will still enable Canberra trained horses to take part in the Highway races for a further three months," V'Landys said.
"In addition, Canberra trained horses will also be eligible to enter and contest the $200,000 Anniversary Highway to be run at Royal Randwick on [October 14]."
The Highway series started two years and was restricted to "bona fide country-trained and domiciled horses".
Canberra trainer Matt Dale has won nine Highway races, making him one of the most successful since the series started.
Barb Joseph and Paul Jones, Keith Dryden and Scott Collings, Norm Gardner, Gratz Vella and Luke Pepper are other Canberra trainers who have also won Highway races.
Stubbs said he was disappointed with the decision by the Racing NSW board, but was hopeful a resolution could be reached in the future.
Horse numbers have swelled in the capital, with a record 285 using Thoroughbred Park as their training base.
Canberra racing officials believe the presence of horses from the capital in the Highway events makes them more lucrative for other trainers and punters.
"We made a submission to have it overturned and obviously the outcome isn't what we we're hoping for," Stubbs said.
"It appears the rationale is that we have training facilities in Canberra that align us to a provincial centre rather than a country centre.
"We do have a high number of horses in training compared to almost any training centre in country NSW.
"There will be an impact on trainers who are competitive in the Highway races. But some owners might consider not having their horses trained in Canberra so they still have that passage.
"But it's difficult to determine what impact percentage-wise that will have. Given the facilities we have here, I'm confident there won't be a significant drop in the number of horses training in Canberra."
