Perth Racing calls off Ascot opening day after four races due to track issues

PERTH Racing’s multimillion dollar carnival is in jeopardy after Saturday’s Ascot opening day race meeting was called off after four races due to track issues.

chief steward Brad Lewis (right) inspects the Ascot track with jockeys, trainers and Stewards about 80m from the finish line where two horses Lenience and Watermans Bay were participating in a training gallop between races 4 and 5. About 80m before the line Lenience ridden by Steven Parnham slipped and fell where Steven was dislodged. After the mishap stewarts in consultation with trainers and jockeys decided to postpone the final 4 events.

PERTH Racing’s multimillion dollar carnival is in serious jeopardy after yesterday’s Ascot opening day race meeting was called off after just four races due to safety issues with the track surface.

Rumours of issues with the Ascot track surface had abounded for weeks, and with the rail unusually being placed in the 10m position for Ascot’s grand reopening, it was hoped that shifting the rail would enable the club to safely run the meeting and protect the damaged inner section of the track.

The exact nature of the problem is not yet known.

Having opted to proceed with the Ascot reopening rather than extend the recently finished Belmont season for a few extra weeks, the club will now have to deal with the fallout from the trainers and connections of a number of star horses who have had their summer carnival preparations severely disrupted.

The postponement of the two major features - the $150,000 Group 3 Northerly Stakes featuring several leading Railway Stakes fancies, and the $100,000 Listed Belgravia Stakes for three-year-olds - has left trainers and connections in consternation, as both were vital lead-up events towards greater summer carnival riches.

Adding further to the club’s problems will be the difficulty that they will now almost certainly encounter when attempting to entice any of the expected quality Eastern States horses that were likely to contest the carnival.

Originally published as Perth Racing calls off Ascot opening day after four races due to track issues