Races cancelled at Newcastle
James Armstrong, clerk of the Newcastle track, has announced that Newcastle has had no choice but to cancel its Saturday 27 November meeting due to snow and below-zero temperatures.
“We have absolutely no hope at all,” said Armstrong to Racing Post. “The temperature is already zero and we have seen pretty much no improvement in the snow-covered areas.”
Newcastle’s Saturday meeting, which was set to include the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, is the latest cancellation in an unfortunate weekend.
Fairyhouse has had to shuffle their schedule and ongoing drainage issues continue to threaten the weekend’s racing. Towcester’s Saturday meeting is also at risk of cancellation, pending a Friday morning inspection.
“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 seven a.m. inspection for Friday morning,” said Robert Bellamy, clerk of Towcester.
“We were -2C overnight and although it has been a bright start to the day we now have 90 per cent cloud cover and temperatures are dropping.”
Armstrong and Newcastle had also originally planned to base the cancellation decision on a Friday morning inspection, but had decided, based on Thursday’s snowfall, that they had to admit defeat.
“It is painful to do, but by doing this we give everybody options, regarding jockey bookings and horses running elsewhere.”
Nicky Henderson, trainer of Champion Hurdle Binocular, the favourite for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle originally scheduled for Saturday, recommended the race to be relocated to Newbury.
Paul Struthers of the British Horseracing Authority was doubtful, saying, “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.”
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