Decision to call off this year’s $400,000 The Bluff Knoll slot race made as part of Albany Racing Club rebuild

Albany’s lucrative slot race The Bluff Knoll will not be held this season, racing officials have confirmed. In a statement posted on Facebook, Racing WA confirmed the $400,000 The Bluff Knoll has been cancelled two months out from its scheduled date. “The Albany Racing Club wishes to advise that the Bluff Knoll slot race will not be held in 2026,” the Racing WA Thoroughbred post read. “The club has made the decision to take a year off to focus on rebuilding and strengthening their operations. “The intention is for the race to return in 2027.” Albany Racing Club general manager Paul Rossiter confirmed the decision was made as the club looked to rebuild after a couple of turbulent seasons. Rossiter took the reins as general manager at the start of the 2025-26 season, after being appointed on August 1. This year was set to be the third running of the Great Southern slot race, after it was brought to life in 2024. The inaugural running of the race featured $350,000 in prize money, of which $150,000 went to the winner. A total of 13 slots for the race were sold at $20,000 each. Gemma’s Son won the 2024 edition of the race for trainer Embroja-Lee Altieri with jockey Shaun McGruddy aboard. Prize money was raised to $400,000 in 2025 and stakes for the winner lifted to $165,000. McGruddy claimed a second victory last season, when he partnered the Steve Wolfe-trained Rope Them In to victory. This year’s The Bluff Knoll was scheduled to headline Albany Racing Club’s meeting on Sunday March 8. The Bluff Knoll was WA’s second slot race, coming after the $5 million The Quokka run as Ascot. The $1m Golden Saddle has since followed at Kalgoorlie.