Porterstown delayed until Sunday
Fairyhouse has had to move the Porterstown Handicap Chase to Sunday due the expected poor ground at the track.
The 3m4f, 28,500 Euro Grade C handicap had been scheduled in its traditional place during Saturday’s Winter Festival, but the continued drainage problems at Fairyhouse has caused track manager Peter Roe to make several changes to protect the ground. The
Porterstown has been swapped with the Grade B Caffrey’s Handicap Chase in order to minimize the damage done to the track before Saturday’s Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase.
“It's a direct swap of the two handicap chases because the Porterstown goes the furthest and with a full field it would cause the most damage to the track,” said Roe to Racing Post. “This way we can ensure the best of ground for the Drinmore.”
Fairyhouse is suffering from drainage work performed last spring on the inner track and several races have already been rescheduled or relocated. The management stressed their commitment to the Winter Festival on November 27-28, but after that meeting, the
remaining races of the season are at risk of cancellation.
"We inspected the course and found four main areas of false ground,” said Roe. “It was agreed the track was unfit for racing and will remain so until drainage works take place, when suitable ground conditions arise, which is unlikely to happen until spring
2011."
The track is facing a cost of up to 500,000 Euros after ground repairs and lost revenue. An agricultural machine, called the Panbuster, is being blamed for poor ground, a problem which inflicted the County Meath track three weeks ago and caused race cancellations
there.
“In light of what's happened we are going to take a more hands-on approach with the racecourses in relation to any work carried out, to make sure it is done to the highest standards,” said Denis Egan, chief executive of the Irish Turf Club. “If there's a
machine causing problems we have to get to the bottom of it and make sure it is not used again.”
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