Punchestown meeting falls foul of the weather

PUNCHESTOWN were yesterday forced to call off today’s scheduled meeting due to waterlogging.

The course received 21mm of rain as of yesterday evening and with 10-15mm more forecasted before the fixture had been due to go to post at 2.10pm, with the Grade Three Quevega Mares Hurdle down to open proceedings, there was little choice.

Kilkenny’s Gowran Park course has also been deemed currently unfit for racing ahead of Friday’s meeting due to waterlogging, but the circumstances there are being monitored before a decision is made about going ahead or cancelling.

“Unfortunately, the track is waterlogged in places at the moment, but we will be giving this meeting every chance to take place on Friday. I will take another look later tomorrow and give out a further update then,” said Paddy Graffin, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) clerk at Gowran.

However, Thurles has been deemed fit for racing ahead of tomorrow’s race meeting, although the ground was heavy after inspection yesterday.

Paul Nicholls, meanwhile, dominated the finish to the feature race at Taunton, with Bryony Frost and Rockadenn just edging out Harry Cobden on Pic D’Orhy.

Rockadenn (17/2) prevailed in a photo by a head – and Nicholls has handicaps in mind for the winner.

“I didn’t know what to expect because he ran out up at Musselburgh,” said Nicholls.

“The other lad was having his first run since a wind op and maybe I ran him a bit quick.”