THE popular Ardlethan Picnic Races will have a new home in 2025.

Issues regarding installing a running rail to enclose the track have prevented the club’s one-off meeting on March 22 from proceeding as planned.

However, the club has found an alternative, with the meeting being held at Narrandera instead.

Ardlethan secretary Lou Clemson believes it is a better alternative than not having a meeting at all.

“We didn’t want to cancel and abandon, so we looked at our options and at the committee meeting last week it was decided on another venue just so we can continue the race this year,” Clemson said.

“Narrandera kindly put up their hands, and they’ve been absolutely marvellous support of racing and our race club.

“We’ve managed to come up with a plan to race this year.

“It’s not gonna be the same, but we’re doing everything we can to make it a great day out.”

Phantom meetings are not uncommon for track issues at some of the most popular race meetings.

However, insurance and licensing issues are among the obstacles the club would need to overcome to make that happen.

It’s also not what the club wants.

“While there is that the social aspect, without the horses and jockeys and the trainers there would be no such thing as racing,” Clemson said.

“So, when you go back to basics, it’s still the horses and the trainers that make it.”

A running rail is ready to be installed after Racing NSW brokered a deal with the Murrumbidgee Turf Club.

However, there have been doubts over the club’s long-term future since the property the track is on was put up for sale in 2022.

While still on the market, an agreement with the family, who have enabled the meeting to go ahead on their land for more than six decades, could not be reached.

Clemson hopes they can reach a new arrangement for the future, with the races being the biggest day on Ardlethan’s social calendar.

“So, while the social aspect of it is fantastic, and we are so thrilled to be able to host a lovely, young crowd and they enjoy it, it’s on their social calendar, and we’re not the only ones who have the rewards of that,” she said.

“It’s our town, our local hotel, our local bowling club, the local cafe, the supermarket. They all do well out of it over the whole entire weekend.”

Narrandera racing manager Michael Bailey was only too pleased to help the Ardlethan club.

“We absolutely would have moved heaven and earth to make it happen as it’s such an iconic race meeting,” Bailey said.

“They’ve had some issues, and hopefully, they can work those through in the next 12 months and will be able to get back out to Ardlethan next year, but when they approached us, we were only too happy to provide a facility and help with the actual running of it.”

The program will remain the same, with no changes to distances required.

The Ardlethan club is also working on options to have bus services from Ardlethan and Wagga for racegoers to utilise.

– With ACM