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Horse Racing: Newcastle forced to abandon its Meeting

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The weather conditions in Newcastle at present are beyond harsh and almost impossible to host the horse race scheduled for this Saturday, the 27th of November. As a result it has been announced that the derby will be cancelled
The Stanjames.com sponsored Fighting Fifth Hurdle fixture was anticipated by the fans of the sport as it was to feature the comeback of Binocular, the Champion Hurdle winner. The executives of the track said that they tried their
best but could not win against the freezing temperatures of Newcastle. It was finally decided on Thursday evening that the event will be abandoned on Saturday to save the card for the bigger event lined up for the 28th.
According to Binocular’s trainer Nicky Henderson, he was more in favour of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle to take place at Newbury, but the official of British Horse Racing Authority Paul Struthers said that he was certain that the
meeting will not be run in Newbury.
Paul Struthers said while discussing the current scenario, “My understanding at this stage is that we are certainly working to save the race. Discussions are ongoing and these discussions need to be had as it is not as simple as
just moving a race.”
There was still some chances of the race to take place on Saturday when the clerk of the course in Newcastle, James Armstrong was planning to inspect the track conditions at 8 p.m. on Friday morning. However, he observed that the
event could not take place under the current circumstances.
Talking to the correspondents before 4 pm on Thursday, Armstrong was reported as saying, “We have absolutely no hope at all. The temperature is already zero and we have seen pretty much no improvement in the snow covered areas.”
He went on to say, “There is probably six or seven inches of snow on the track and it is expected to fall to -1 to -2 degree Celsius with a forecast not to get above zero by tomorrow.”
Armstrong further added while discussing the situation, “It is painful to do, but by doing this we give everybody options regarding jockey bookings and horses running elsewhere.”
As the weather conditions in Newcastle have cancelled Saturday’s Meeting, things are not looking that promising for Fairyhouse either. There has been some rescheduling of the events that were supposed to take place on this Thanksgiving
weekend. The officials at the Meath track in Ireland said that Saturday’s meeting at Fairyhouse will have to be called off for the Sunday fixture to proceed at the same venue. Moreover, the situation at Towcester is also not certain as there is a pending inspection
by the Clerk of Towcester, Robert Bellany. It is highly doubtful that the Towcester will host a racing event on Saturday.
Robert Bellany said, “If the forecast is correct, we have very little chance of racing on Saturday as we are unable to cover the track, so I have called a 7 a.m. inspection for Friday meeting.”
The decisions of the representatives of the British Horse Racing Industry are not pleasing those involved in the horse racing business nor the fans who were looking forward to these events. While thoroughbred stakes races in the
United States and the Japan Cup in Tokyo will be entertaining the sports lovers in the two countries, the locals of Newcastle, Fairyhouse and Towcester will have to wait for another day to enjoy the most talented colts and champions in the country to prove
themselves in the Hurdle events.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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