RACING has been abandoned at Salisbury just an hour before the first – with ‘areas of concern’ on the track amid a severe rain warning.
An inspection was called at 12.45pm ahead of the seven-race card which saw Ryan Moore set to feature as the headline act.
GettyHeavy rain causes the race meeting to be abandoned at Salisbury Racecourse[/caption]
GettyThe stands were almost empty as the torrential rain continued to hammer down[/caption]
But after being hit with 16mm of rain and with another 15mm likely this afternoon the decision was taken to pull the plug ahead of the first race at 2.20pm.
THE SUN RACING MEMBERS ENCLOSURE
The only place to get Templegate’s tips first – and at the best prices – is by joining Sun Racing’s brilliant Members Enclosure.
Sign up now for just £1* to be part of racing’s best winning team and get…
Four free racing tickets, four times a year – worth £300
Templegate’s daily tips at the BEST prices before anyone else
Tomorrow’s copy of The Favourite at 9pm today
Exclusive insights from Andrew Balding and Hayley Turner
VIP competitions from Racing Breaks each month
New customer offer with Coral
Become a member today for just £1*
*For the first month then £3 per month thereafter.
18+ Ts and Cs apply. First month membership £1, then £3 per month unless you cancel at least 7 days before your next billing date. For more information contact help@thesun.co.uk
Jeremy Martin, clerk of the course at Salisbury, said: “We could be looking at up to 40mm of rain today.
“The vast majority of the racecourse was raceable an hour ago, but the track has a lot of undulations and the main issue was in the low points, water was starting to pond.
“The volume of water is starting to create false ground.
“I’ve been here 24 years and I have never known a raceday like this. We just couldn’t cope. It’s very unusual.”
Unfortunately for punters it meant a very appealing Moore double would have to wait for another day.
The top jockey was on for the debut of 10-11 Frankel colt Dissident, owned by Juddmonte and trained by Ralph Beckett.
And he was due to ride Kingman filly Tabiti, who was 15-8, and racing for the second time after a hugely promising debut win.
A post from the racecourse read: “Racing abandoned. Areas of waterlogged ground after 18mm rain at 12.45pm. Another 12-15 mm forecast during the afternoon.”
With racing off it means all bets placed will be voided.
Torrential rain hammered the Wiltshire track through the morning.
And the horrid weather came at the worst time, with the racecourse hosting its most valuable fixture of the year.
That included the Ire-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes, a Group 3 over 6f worth almost £30,000 to the winner.
Tabiti – who had been napped by Templegate as his best bet of the day – was warm favourite to win.
While the rest of the card is lost that race could be rescheduled to next Friday, September 13.
Salisbury’s decision to abandon comes as a yellow weather warning for rain covers much of the south of England.
Officials warned that flooding, transport disruption and power cuts are all possible.
FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
Never chases their losses
Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.