SANDRACER.COM - 3 New All Weather Fixtures Arranged For Next Week By The BHA

Levy Board will fund two all-weather race meetings a day during freeze
(Greg Wood guardian.co.uk)

The Levy Board, which passes a share of betting revenue back to the sport, said yesterday that funds will be made available to schedule at least two all-weather meetings a day "for the foreseeable future" after racing suffered its first unplanned blank day for nearly a year yesterday. The tracks at Lingfield and Kempton were still raceable yesterday morning despite heavy overnight snow, but both meetings were abandoned as roads around the track were impassable. (more)

Comment Posted By  Sandracer - 8 January 2010 02:43 

Freeze tightens all-weather grip (bha)

Thursday's all-weather meeting at Lingfield was abandoned due to a shortage of ambulances and Friday's action is subject to a 6.30am inspection.

Although the track was considered fine for racing, the terrible conditions led to a prioritisation of National Health Service resources - a factor which also resulted in the abandonment of Kempton's fixture.

The situation has been resolved ahead of Friday's card but clerk of the course Neil MacKenzie Ross said: "We've sorted the cover for ambulances but we'll have a look as there is more snow to come. We'll keep working away and hopefully we'll be fine."

Kempton's clerk of the course Barney Clifford said: "In the eyes of the NHS Trust, the country is on red alert. They therefore had to issue a 'force majeure' which meant we were unable to be provided with ambulances.

"We were also unable to secure private cover as their resources are also pooled by the NHS. It's such a shame as the course is perfectly raceable."

Comment Posted By  Sandracer - 8 January 2010 03:10