Theresa Bateup targets Kembla Grange meeting after fires trigger Nowra cancellation

With so many meetings cancelled lately, big fields are expected across the seven races. For Bateup, that means entering horses that were scheduled to race in Nowra on New Year's Eve.

"Safety is the most important factor, so given the weather it's probably a blessing we didn't go down to Nowra," Bateup said.

"It is frustrating from a horse perspective, my horses are ready to race, we had one in today that was also meant to go around in Goulburn but that was abandoned, and again today.

"There's not much you can do about the weather. There are people in far worse situations, fighting for their property and their lives. The fact a race meeting has been called off isn't important in the big scheme of things."

Read more: Kembla Grange trainers forced to reshuffle plans as South Coast fires worsen

While Bateup is looking forward to seeing her horses return to the track at Kembla Grange, she enters Tuesday's meeting with a slight degree of trepidation.

"I've thrown a few in at Kembla, they're not the right races but it's just a case of sending them around.

"It's hard, everyone's in the same boat, we find the right race for a horse, a good barrier draw, then we have to nominate them somewhere else with a harder field."

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