Big changes to racing programme – Grand Series on Saturday

The World Sports Betting Grand Series Leg 1 and 2, as well as the Grand Series Consolation, will be run at Turffontein on Saturday, 20 October.

That was the word from Clyde Basel, Racing Executive of Phumelela Gaming and Leisure Ltd, shortly after Saturday’s race meeting at Turffontein was abandoned after four races due to a severe electrical storm and persistent heavy downpours which continued throughout the afternoon.

The three “Grand” races will be staged as carded and will form part of the meeting now scheduled for Saturday on the Turffontein Inside track.

Other changes to the racing schedule are:

1. The race meeting scheduled for Tuesday 16 October at Turffontein on the Inside track will be moved to Thursday 18 October on the Turffontein Inside track.

2. A new race meeting will be staged tomorrow 16 October on the Fairview Polytrack.

3. The Work Riders Race Meeting scheduled for Thursday 18 October at Turffontein will be moved to the Vaal racecourse on Tuesday 23 October to be run prior to the scheduled Durbanville meeting.

The Work Riders Race Meeting will be run from 12 noon and the Durbanville “twilight” meeting will commence at around 3pm.

“Unfortunately, the weather is not something we can control,” said Basel when the new racing schedule was announced.

“But, despite the gloomy weather, the sponsors of the Grand Series and Consolation, World Sports Betting, have remained upbeat.

"They are fully committed to ensuring that the three Grand Series races will be staged successfully.”