Wet weather hits racing fixture list
DISRUPTION to the fixture list looks set to continue into the weekend after Wetherby’s meeting today became the latest to fall due to a waterlogged track.
With no sign of the current wet spell coming to an end, Southwell flew the flag for jumps racing in Britain yesterday, with meetings at Warwick and at Clonmel in Ireland both called off.
Officials at Wetherby called an inspection for 3pm yesterday ahead of today’s card and made the decision to draw stumps shortly after.
A statement on the track’s website read: “There has been insufficient improvement during the last 24 hours and the ground remains waterlogged, with false ground in several areas. A further 12-15 millimetres of rain is expected overnight Thursday into Friday morning.”
Fontwell’s fixture today is also under threat, with a precautionary check called for 7.30am, while tomorrow’s Premier Raceday at Kelso is already in doubt.
The Borders track is due to host a high-profile card, part of which is set to be shown live on ITV, but the ground is described as heavy, waterlogged in places and an inspection will take place at 8am today to assess the latest state of play.
Chelmsford’s meeting scheduled for tomorrow evening has been moved to an earlier start, from 5.25pm to 2.50pm.
A statement from the British Horseracing Authority read: “In light of the current forecast for Saturday April 6, the BHA has agreed to move Chelmsford City’s fixture to a 2.50 start and rearranged the running order.
“This is in order to ensure an appropriate level of racing content for our customers on Saturday afternoon and offer potential ITV coverage to the Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions Stakes at 3.30 should other fixtures on Saturday be abandoned.”
■■ BRITISH racing has launched a new campaign designed to promote and share the facts around welfare in racing.
Horsepwr will have its own dedicated website (www. horsepwr.co.uk) to provide information about the sport and the thoroughbred, the lives they lead and the high welfare and safety standards within racing.
The website explores the areas that racing has committed to improve, such as the lives after racing horses go on to have, reducing risk on and off course and facts surrounding the whip.