Cox Plate 'mistake': Victorian government backflips on plan to allow owners on track

The Victorian government has backflipped on a decision to allow 500 racehorse owners to attend the Cox Plate after the proposal was slammed by a public that has been locked down for three months.

The state’s racing minister, Martin Pakula, announced the reversal on Twitter late on Tuesday night, five hours after the initial decision was revealed.

“The decision to allow some owners on course for the 100th Cox Plate was motivated only by respect for the occasion and a desire to mark a small step on the path to reopening,” Pakula said. “It was a mistake, given that other restrictions remain in place, and we’ve heard the community feedback.”

Pakula said he had spoken to the Moonee Valley Racing Club “and the decision’s been reversed”. “Owners won’t return to the race track until we reach the next stage of the easing of restrictions,” he said. “I apologise for any upset that has been caused.”

Critics had earlier savaged the proposal given the city remains under lockdown. Funerals remain capped at 10 participants. Just two days ago, the premier, Daniel Andrews, warned Melburnians planning on watching the AFL grand final, held on the same day as the Cox Plate, not to invite friends or family over to view the game or risk a $1,600 fine.

“So now five reasons to leave your home … [adding] if you have a horse running in the Cox Plate,” Cathy Vaughan wrote on Twitter before the backflip. Another critic wrote “this reeks”.

Anti-gambling advocate Tim Costello said it was a case of “shocking double standards”. “Churches can’t meet. Sporting group can’t meet.”

Federal Greens leader Adam Bandt said he’d previously defended the premier against the “open everything up now” brigade on the basis Andrews was applying health-based rules equally. “But this makes it look like it’s one rule for the well-connected and another for everyone else,” Bandt tweeted.

The Victorian opposition leader, Michael O’Brien, appeared to criticise the backflip, saying it was “shame that the slow death of thousands of small businesses doesn’t have the same sway with the Andrews Labor government as do arguments over horse racing”.

The initial announcement on Tuesday evening said that 500 connections of horses racing in the Cox Plate carnival would be given staggered arrival times and would only be allowed to stay for part of the day. Pakula said there would be no more than 250 non-essential personnel at the Moonee Valley racetrack at once.

Related: Australian horse racing and harness racing to continue despite coronavirus scare

No more than 1,250 people were to have been allowed on the track at any one time, of whom 1,000 would have been essential personnel like jockeys, stewards and ground crews. The total capacity of the venue is 38,000.

Covid-safe marshals would enforce social distancing, all attendees would have their temperature checked before entry, and owners would be kept separate from those actually working on the day – which meant no owners in the mounting yard.

The same rules were to have applied on Manikato Stakes Day on Friday.

In the same original statement, Pakula said the government remained in discussions with the Victorian Racing Club around arrangements for the Melbourne Cup.

Horse racing has continued throughout lockdown but the number of people allowed at the track has been pared back to jockeys, trainers and a limited number of support staff.

The announcement , before the change of policy, sparked widespread criticism on social media. The Andrews government has announced some easing of lockdown rules in Melbourne and more changes have been foreshadowed from Sunday and again from 1 November.

As of this weekend, the 25km travel limit, the requirement that people not leave their home unless it’s for one of four essential purposes, and the cap on public gatherings of no more than 10 people from two households remain in place.

The Moonee Valley Racing Club chief executive, Michael Browell, initially said he was “delighted” with the announcement, particularly as 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the race.

“We are excited to have owners enjoy watching their horses compete over the carnival and bring some atmosphere trackside that will be captured by our host broadcasters,” Browell said before the plan was canned.

“Under our Covid-safe plan, attendance times will be limited, permitted owners will remain outside and socially distanced at all times, and there will be no seated dining in line with government regulations.”

Melbourne Cup falls on 3 November, some two days after restrictions are proposed to be significantly eased in Melbourne.