Rain continues to cause havoc with racing

PERSISTENT rain is threatening to wipe out all British racing on turf today.

The meeting at Beverley has already been abandoned due to waterlogging, while the other Flat fixture at Leicester is in doubt, as is the jumps card at Towcester.

That could leave just the two all-weather programmes at Kempton and Lingfield to fly the flag.

Deteriorating conditions forced officials at Beverley to bring forward a 3pm inspection and they were left with no alternative but to call it off.

“We called an inspection for 3pm as we weren’t due any more rain until later on today,” said Sally Iggulden, racecourse manager at the East Yorkshire track.

“But it started raining at 11 o’clock and we had five millimetres in half an hour which took it beyond doubt.

“The course is waterlogged in several places and it is not going to dry out in time.

“We are due another half an inch later today so there is no hope I’m afraid.”

Leicester, where the going is heavy, are optimistic of going ahead despite calling a precautionary inspection for 8am ahead of their evening meeting.

“We had 10 millimetres of rain yesterday which means we have had 40 millimetres over the last six days,” said clerk of the course Jimmy Stevenson.

“We can’t take much more rain but I would be hopeful if there’s not a lot more.”

Heavy rain over the weekend has forced Towcester to call a precautionary inspection at 9am today ahead of their evening fixture.

Officials remain hopeful racing will still go ahead if the weather improves as is forecast.

“We are currently heavy following 20 millimetres of rain since 10am on Saturday,” said clerk of the course Robert Bellamy.

“Further showers are forecast today but there’s a much-improved forecast for tomorrow which we’d need.

“If there is an improvement tomorrow I’d b very hopeful.”

Today’s meeting at Sligo fell by the wayside earlier yesterday due to a waterlogged track.

Officials held an 8am inspection but found the track to be unraceable after heavy rain.

Yesterday’s meeting at Redcar was an earlier casualty after overnight rain left the track heavy in places and clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson was not expecting conditions to improve.

He said: “We had about 15 millimetres of rain overnight and there are areas of standing water and patches on the track which couldn’t take much more rain. The weather is due to get worse as the day goes on with no improvement until 4pm.”

No inspections have yet been called at any of Wednesday’s turf meetings in England but Cork has already gone.