Wrong distances for Rockingham racing’s return

Two races at Rockingham’s comeback race meeting in Western Australia at Lark Hill last month were run over longer distances than originally specified.

A survey of the course post the April 26 race meeting at the coastal centre, about a 45-minute drive south west of Perth’s central business district, found that the two 1600m races were in fact conducted over 1680m.

The Michael Grantham-trained Startling Star, owned by Bob and Sandra Peters, won the rating 48-plus race over the “mile” while the Misty Bazeley-trained Wayne The Pain won the Lark Hill Cup over the same 1600m distance.

“Racing WA can confirm that race distances for the Rockingham meeting were based on existing survey conditions,” a Racing WA spokesperson said.

“A subsequent survey post the 26 April 2026 race meeting has identified an amendment to the 1600m start position, which has now been updated.”