Potentially a poor weekend of racing ahead

Racing decimated by adverse conditions
31/03/2006 - 12:59:51

Heavy rain has hit racing hard in Ireland and the UK this weekend with four fixtures at three tracks already abandoned and two more in doubt.

Sunday’s meeting at Newton Abbot has been abandoned due to a waterlogged track, while there will be no racing in Ireland after Limerick’s weekend of racing and Navan’s card on Sunday were washed out.

In addition, tomorrow’s card at Uttoxeter is subject to an inspection this afternoon – as is the Sunday programme at Hexham.

Newton Abbot’s clerk of the course Jason Loosemore called their meeting off early this morning.

“We had another six millimetres of rain overnight so we called an earlier inspection than was first issued,” he explained.

“The rule as it stood stated that the meeting couldn’t be abandoned by 12pm, two days before the meeting.

“But following heavy overnight rain, the course was found to be waterlogged in places and unraceable.

“And because of further forecast rainfall in the next few days, we consulted with the inspector of the courses to get the meeting called off earlier.”

Uttoxeter have called a 3pm inspection to assess the prospects of Saturday’s meeting beating the weather.

Heavy rainfall at the Staffordshire venue has put the seven-race card in jeopardy.

“There’s been a few more showers overnight which has put us back a bit so we have been forced to inspect,” said clerk of the course Keith Ottesen.

“There is a bit of water around but the official going at the moment is heavy.”

The only other jumps meeting tomorrow is scheduled for Fontwell, where no problems have been reported.

Lingfield and Kempton are set to stage all-weather fixtures on the Flat, with the latter also racing on Sunday.

National Hunt racing could be wiped out on Sunday with Newton Abbot gone and Hexham in danger.

Officials at the Northumberland venue have moved forward their inspection from 10am tomorrow to 4pm today because of adverse conditions.

“It is still raining and there is lying surface water on the track,” explained a Hexham spokesman.

“The official going is heavy, waterlogged in places and, in view of the forecast, we are not too optimistic.”

The prolonged wet weather in Ireland has brought about the loss of both Limerick and Navan. It is hoped the two cards lost at Limerick tomorrow and Sunday might be rearranged at a later date.

Irish Turf Club spokesman Cliff Noone said: “Although the weather was not too bad overnight, the heavy rain yesterday has put the clappers on things.

“The prospects are not too clever for the next few days either. It is now up to Limerick and Horse Racing Ireland to get together to discuss the possibility of rescheduling.”

At Navan, clerk of the course Joe Collins was forced into making the decision after 19 millimetres of overnight rain.

“The course is waterlogged and there is no way we would have been raceable in time for Sunday because further rain is forecast,” he said.