No horse or jockey was injured in the incident, but the risk was enough to end the race for the day.
“On the firm surface below, the fact that the grass is quite long and with a bit of rain overnight, it just hasn’t dried out below, which means there is an area of the track which is not safe,” said jockey Lisa. Allpress.
“There’s more than one slip mark and there are several out there.
“We really tried [to save the meeting] and with the summer hours available we might have been able to reschedule the meeting, but with the length of the grass and the amount of moisture in it, it’s just not going to dry out.
“The safety of jockeys and horses is paramount, but this is not a decision taken lightly and it’s just devastating for everyone.”
NZ Thoroughbred Racing will attempt to reschedule the remaining races – including the two main features – for Sunday or Monday to minimize the financial impact on the industry and the club.
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