Capannelle: Italy's first race meeting since December 31 will be Saturday

Racing returns to Italy at Capannelle on Saturday

Italy: Racing in Italy will resume on Saturday for the first time since New Year's Eve, it emerged on Thursday night.

It was decided late on Thursday that Capannelle racetrack in Rome will stage the top jumping card of the winter, with a Grade 1 hurdle, the Gran Corsa Siepi di Roma, and Grade 3 Chase, the Grande Steeple Chase di Roma - Mem. Mario Argenton. Entries will be made on Friday morning.

Owner and trainers were also discussing whether to run their horses at Pisa racetrack on Sunday, where 311 horses have been entered for seven races.

These events come after Minister of Agriculture Mario Catania confirmed a plan was in place to reform UNIRE/ASSI, the sport's independent governing body, and to give more funding to the racing industry.

"We have worked hard over the past days to find an answer to the dramatic crisis of the horse racing industry, which has threatened many jobs and the future of horse racing itself," said Catania.

"The action of the Ministry will develop in two parts: one part through emergency measures to provide an immediate financial response and breathe life into the sport. The other is a comprehensive reform of the racing industry that encourages the revitalization of the industry to such an extent it gives the government a reason to make its decisive financial contribution.

"I hope these new measures will lead to a swift resumption of horse racing and prevent any further deterioration to the finances of the sport and the people involved in it."

The Comparto Ippico, a government committee which includes representatives of the racing industry, such as trainers, owners, jockeys, drivers and Trade Unions, has been in discussion with the Ministry of Agriculture for much of the week.

The reform of the racing industry will be conducted by a bigger version of the Comparto Ippico, which has been given a brief to come up with the framework for a ‘new' racing industry.

A major stumbling block has been the removal of €100 million (£83.95m) of funding from the racing industry, which would have left the sport with just €39 million as additional funding - compared to the €125 million it received last year.

The €100 millioncut was sanctioned by Silvio Berlusconi before he stood down as prime minister in November, as part of cuts he asked then Minister of Agriculture Saverio Romano to make to reduce variable expenses.

Romano left the position in November when Berlusconi stood down from office, and was replaced as Minister of Agriculture by Mario Catania, who was appointed by prime minister Mario Monti.  

Catania, who had once been a Jockey Club steward, has guaranteed that in 2013 and 2014 the racing industry will receive €110 million and €97 million respectively, and believes he has found a way to claw back €35-40 million of the €100 million.  

Racing has a last chance to have more money this year if a law known as ‘Milleproroghe' includes more funding for racing from the slot machine industry.  

This amendment to ‘Milleproroghe' was rejected initially by a government committee but is expected to pass the Senate either this week or next.

That will allow the redistribution of revenue from e-gaming betting and slot machines to help the shortfall in funding for the racing industry in 2012.  

While the ‘gallop' version of horse racing is keen to resume action on the track, most of the ‘trotting' sport is holding back its resumption until official confirmation of the sport's reorganisation has been received.