RACE COMMENTARYWith the cold snap continuing to decimate the racing fixture list, the British Horseracing Authority (bha) have moved to lessen the damage by adding three further all-weather fixtures for next week.
There will be no National Hunt racing in Britain until Tuesday at the earliest with a combination of snow and frost leading to countless abandonments, so BHA officials have added fixtures at Kempton, Lingfield and Southwell.
Kempton's Monday card will be made up of six races and entries will close at noon on Friday. Declarations must be made by 10am on Saturday.
Additional meetings will also be staged at Lingfield on Tuesday and Southwell on Wednesday, although the details of those cards have yet to be confirmed. (more)
Posted at 03:35, Friday, January 08, 2010 by the Sandracer.
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(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 - 3:43 am, January 08, 2010
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 - 4:10 am, January 08, 2010
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