York forced to abandon AGAIN

[NoChanceToDance]

After flash floods have hit most parts of the UK (i'm so glad i live a long way above sea level!) York were forced to abandon their card today with standing water on the track.

Further bad news came soon after when they also had to abandon tomorrow's high class card too.


From the Racing Post
By Paul Eacott

BOOKMAKERS across Britain and Ireland have been spared the prospect of a payout in excess of £500,000 on what they described this week as “an old-fashioned gamble” after a deluge of rain on a par with the deluge of money for Utmost Respect forced York to abandon Saturday's meeting.

The Richard Fahey-trained market springer had been backed into 3-1 favourite for the William Hill Trophy by the time officials at York were forced to admit defeat on Friday, having been as big as 12-1 when betting opened on Monday.

Ben Clarke, spokesman for the sponsors, said: “About £150,000 will be returned to punters, and industry wide we were looking at a pay-out of at least £500,000 if Utmost Respect had won - and it could have been a lot more if the Saturday-afternoon punters got stuck in as well.”

Saturday's fixture at York was lost just hours after standing water on the track forced the abandonment of Friday's first day of an intended two-day meeting.

An inspection had initially been planned for 4.15pm on Friday, but with conditions showing no sign of improvement, clerk of the course William Derby decided to check ground conditions earlier.

Shortly after abandoning at midday, Derby said: “We have had 53 millimetres of rain in the last 11 hours, which is more than any other day we can find on record, and morethan we would expect in the whole of the month of June.
“All parts of the racecourse are under water, as well as the road behind the racecourse, so we are not raceable.

“We are desperately disappointed to have lost the richest three-year-old handicap in Europe, especially after it looked such a high quality and competitive contest.

“Having spoken to the BHB earlier on today, I don't think there is a prospect of that being run. We don't race for another month and I don't think there is an available slot. Hopefully, those horses and connections will find other opportunities in the coming weeks and we are desperately disappointed not to be hosting it this year.”

Looking to the future, Derby concluded: “It's ironic that this verymonth we have submitted plans to City of York Council to undertake a significant drainage project, which we hope to complete ahead of the 2009 season.

“Should it be approved, it will give us a better chance to avoid these disappointments in the future.”

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At least it isn't as bad as it was a few years ago, look at this!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/spo...lk/1021490.stm