Checks on track after heavy rain

INNISFAIL’S Pease Park will be inspected by Racing Queensland stewards this morning to determine if the track is in a good enough state to host the feature Annuals meeting tomorrow.

Like most places in North Queensland, Innisfail has copped wild weather this week, with the deluge breaking rainfall records for Bundaberg before the upper low system moved north to hammer Tully, Ingham, Innisfail and Cairns during the past 24 hours.

The Innisfail Cup and Johnstone River Handicap are set to be run tomorrow but there is concern for the state of the track after the heavy rain.

“Stewards will travel to Innisfail Friday morning from Cairns to have a look at the track,” said a Queensland Racing Integrity Commission spokesman.

“They will carry out an inspection of the track and they will make a decision then. The track has received about 150mm of rain this week.

“If it looks like the rain will clear up over Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, the stewards may postpone making a decision and have another look on Saturday morning.”

Six races, with strong fields, are set for Innisfail tomorrow, with the Cup to be run over 2000m and the Johnstone River Handicap over 1200m.

The two races, both worth $16,250 in prizemoney, are the features of the Innisfail Turf Club meeting.