Wednesday’s meeting at Exeter has become the latest victim of the weather, with officials left with no option but to abandon the fixture due to a waterlogged track.
Off the back of the heavy rain of Storm Herminia, the racing programme has been interrupted this week, with Monday’s Hereford card, Leicester’s meeting on Wednesday and racing at Ffos Las on Thursday already called off.
Chepstow’s Tuesday fixture was given the go-ahead following a precautionary inspection, but the team at Exeter have made the early decision to draw stumps.
Exeter’s clerk of the course, Jason Loosemore, said: “I think we’ve had 92 millimetres of rain in total now since Friday and Sunday was probably the killer really because we had 40mm on Sunday.
“We had another 16mm yesterday (Monday) and it’s still raining here this morning. We’ve had 6mm this morning so far and it’s still raining away and it’s forecast for it to remain wet today.
“Tomorrow (Wednesday) doesn’t look as bad as first thought ironically, but nevertheless it’s still forecast to be a wet day and there is no chance of an improvement, so ultimately we’re not going to be in a different position this time tomorrow morning.
“It isn’t what we want but it is what we’ve got, sadly.”
The British Horseracing Authority has already put provisional plans in place for an all-chase card at Sandown on Saturday.
The Esher track will be subject to an inspection at 8am on Thursday, with the plan to come into place if the hurdles course is deemed unraceable. That would see three more contests over fences added, to make a six-race card.
If the meeting – which is due to host the Grade One Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase – is able to proceed as originally scheduled with both chase and hurdle races, the three additional chases will be abandoned.
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