Wanganui race stewards had no choice but call off
Opinion was divided after the abandonment of Saturday’s race meeting at Wanganui.
Trainers were up in arms, some believing the meeting could have continued after a delay of an hour or so.
Jockeys were also divided on whether it was safe to continue with the programme featuring the Listed Cambridge Lodge Wanganui Cup.
When options were weighed up, stipendiary stewards maintain they were compelled to call racing off.
‘‘The evidence was damning,’’ head steward Brady Jones said.
Brady referred to video evidence which clearly showed horses slipping in the first race on the day’s card.
‘‘Several horses slipped, Chris Dell’s quite badly.’’
The Mentalist, ridden by Dell, appeared to slip on the final turn and tailed the field home. Robbie Hannam was back at the rear with Dell aboard Pier Eleven which also slipped.
‘‘There was a shower of rain about 10 minutes before the first and Chris Dell said his mount slipped and Robert Hannam said his mount did as well near the 800-metre mark,’’ Jones said.
‘‘A number of other riders reported their mounts weren’t happy in the ground and with no immediate remedy to the situation the decision was made to abandon the meeting.’’
After inspection of the track by riders, club representatives, trainers and stewards the decision was made to abandon the meeting.
‘‘With new health and safety rules you need to address the hazards,’’ he said. ‘‘If you can’t eliminate them you can’t continue [to race].’’
Several trainers wanted any decision delayed until the passing rain had a chance to soak into the ground.
Lee Somervell trains out of Cambridge Lodge in Cambridge and travelled with horse Celebrity Miss to try and win the race they sponsored.
‘‘I was totally disillusioned,’’ Somervell said. ‘‘It was another disaster for racing – why didn’t they wait an hour?
‘‘It was too much of an impulsive decision.’’
Several trainers agreed. Mike Breslin approached stewards to put forward the suggestion of a delay.
‘‘I would have been happy to wait an hour to see what happened with the track,’’ said Hastings trainer Kelly Burne.
‘‘A delay was mentioned at the time,’’ Jones said. ‘‘But stewards didn’t think it was a viable option.
‘‘We didn’t think an hour would have made any difference.’’
Dell agreed and said his mount ‘‘slipped in front and behind’’.
‘‘They [stewards] had no choice – the vision was there. It’s really frustrating, I had a couple of good rides later in the day.
‘‘It’s hard with the weather we’ve got at the moment – four seasons in one day – sunshine one minute and rain the next.’’
The day started with a track rated Dead 4 which stewards thought may have been upgraded after the first race.
Rain wasn’t forecast but 3-4mls arrived drenching the track and sending a large crowd of Christmas At The Races participants scurrying for cover.
‘‘It was like a phantom race meeting,’’ one race fan said. ‘‘We stayed for the day and enjoyed the festivities and televised races.’’
Consultation between the New Zealand Trainers Association, Wanganui Jockey Club and the central region programming committee and NZTR decided the meeting wouldn’t be rescheduled.
The concern was that the weather forecast didn’t provide sufficient degree of confidence for the meeting to proceed safely on Monday or Tuesday.
NZTR plan to investigate the circumstances of the abandonment and put in place a number of actions to provide opportunities for Central Districts stakeholders at upcoming meetings.
They include stake increases for some races and the addition of a $30,000 open handicap over 2100m at the Wellington Racing Club meeting on December 3.
Races will be divided and added as required at upcoming meetings to provide opportunities for stakeholders.
A compensation payment of $200 will be made for each horse accepted at the abandoned meeting.
The Wanganui Cup will be rescheduled for the club’s Queen’s Birthday weekend meeting.
Saturday’s abandonment was the third this month in New Zealand following Dargaville and Te Rapa earlier.