Racing Wodonga allowed to have 5000 people at Gold Cup race meeting

Confirmation of a crowd being able to attend again was confirmed on Friday with the meeting set to be one of the biggest events held locally on the path out of COVID-19.

Even though the crowd will be short of the figure which attended in 2019 of 9200 people, Racing Wodonga general manager Steve Wright said it would be great to have punters back.

Attendees will be required to be double jabbed and show proof of vaccination upon entry and face masks will need to be worn except when seated eating and drinking.

"There are a lot of restrictions we need to follow and it's going to be hard work for us logistically, but we are just rapt to have people coming back," Mr Wright said.

"We are encouraging people to book as quick as they can.

"We've got lots of interest in the event with heaps of businesses that have had marquees before already rebooked."

The post races concert was not permitted in the COVID safe plan presented to government for approval.

A trial race meeting with a crowd of 3000 people was held last week at Warrnambool where former Racing Wodonga general manager Tom O'Connor is now in charge.

But, the Albury Show is a COVID-19 casualty for the second year in a row.

Show Society president Wal Blezard confirmed the recent decision to cancel the show again despite NSW accelerating out of coronavirus restrictions.

"We were going to have to employ people to be checking on vaccinations and felt it was all going to be unmanageable," he said.

"It's bitterly disappointing.

"But the thing that is going to make it just a little bit easier is the federal government is going to provide some financial relief for show societies like ours."

The federal government announced last week an additional $25 million would be made to shows to ensure they do return.

Mr Blezard said the funding would also be welcomed by the travelling showmen and women who provides rides and other entertainment.

"They have difficulty finding insurance companies which will actually cover them," he said.

Albury Show had run continuously from World War II to last year when the pandemic began.

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