TRAINER Bart Cummings has renewed his attack on the Catholic Church and NSW Government for refusing to transfer the World Youth Day celebrations from Randwick racecourse next year.Cummings said he was concerned for Randwick's future and the financial viability of many of its trainers and stablehands unless an alternative venue is found for WYD.
"They should put all this nonsense aside and move World Youth Day to Olympic Park at Homebush," Cummings said.
"With everything else that is happening at Randwick now (equine influenza outbreak), we can't afford this to go ahead at the track.
"The course will be out of action for weeks over winter and it won't recover in time for the 2008 spring carnival. This would be the final straw for many trainers - it could force them out of the (racing) industry."
Cummings said the Australian Jockey Club has still not signed an access agreement to allow WYD workers onto Randwick to make necessary preparations to accommodate up to 500,000 pilgrims for the Pope's visit next year.
The NSW racing industry has lobbied unsuccessfully to have WYD activities transferred away from Randwick.
Meanwhile, Randwick trainers can begin moving those horses who had been infected with EI off the racetrack from today.
Randwick will then be de-contaminated before horses which have been given the EI vaccinations and are currently in spelling and pre-training properties around the state will be allowed to move back from October 21.
Racing NSW and AJC officials are now working towards a return to racing at Randwick by early December.
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