John Grossick Racing
” title=”Part of the inspection team examines the surface of Newcastle before the race” class=”js-imageLoader” data-at-xn=”https://www.rp-assets.com/images/ news/2022/12/10/120642-medium.jpeg” data-br-n=”https://fooday.shop/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Newcastle-employee-hits-back-after-coaches-slam-frustrating-cancellation.jpeg” data -br-m=” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2022/12/10/120642-large.jpeg” data-br-w=”https://www.rp-assets .com/images/news/2022/12/10/120642-large.jpeg” data-br-xw=”https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2022/12/10/120642- large.jpeg” onclick=”return false;”>
By Stuart Riley
Newcastle’s late abandonment of their all-weather game on Saturday was mired in controversy as race director Eloise Quayle insisted surface racing professionals felt it was “frozen” and that ” dangerous” was actually passable.
The meeting was canceled less than 30 minutes before the first race after a delegation of trainers, jockeys, course managers and vets examined the racing surface and declared it unfit.
At 12:20 p.m., the track updated the description to “Standard,” with no indication of what was to come. At 12.34pm an inspection was announced, along with news that the opening race – the first of five to be shown by ITV – would be pushed back ten minutes from its scheduled 1.09pm stop time. However, at 1:02 p.m. the meeting was called off.
With Cheltenham and Doncaster lost to frozen ground, as well as the other jumps of the day at Hereford, all eyes were on Newcastle, who were to provide all of the day’s ITV Racing coverage. What followed turned into a war of words as jockeys and trainers criticized Newcastle’s communication of the issue and the late timing of the inspection.
But Quayle maintained even after the encounter was lost that there was no problem with the surface. “We did absolutely everything we could to prepare for this meeting, she said. The track has been worked since Thursday, this morning it has been going on since dawn. We have worked tirelessly to keep it moving. “
Nigel Kirby Photography
” title=”Eloise Quayle: “We must consider the opinions of others”” class=”js-imageLoader” data-at-xn=”https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2021/ 10/23/99938-medium.jpeg” data-br-n=”https://fooday.shop/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/1670699115_468_Newcastle-employee-hits-back-after-coaches-slam-frustrating-cancellation.jpeg” data-br-m =”https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2021/10/23/99938-large.jpeg” data-br-w=”https://www.rp-assets. com/images/news/2021/10/23/99938-large.jpeg” data-br-xw=”https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2021/10/23/99938-large .jpeg” onclick=”return false;”>
“There’s not a lot of moisture in the surface after tearing it up and we don’t think there was any freezing issue. But we have to consider other people’s opinions and that has to be taken at face value. serious when in doubt.
“We came to the conclusion that they didn’t want to run over it and that’s fine.”
The Newcastle track had been prepared for today’s meeting in accordance with all standard operating procedures, with temperatures as experienced today and this week fully normal for winter meetings .
— Newcastle Racecourse (@NewcastleRaces) December 10, 2022
Riders and coaches were unanimous, however, that the surface was frozen and dangerous. Jockey Cieren Fallon said: “It was the right decision, the track is frozen. It’s very frustrating for us, but for the safety of all horses and jockeys, it’s the right thing to do.
Coach Michael Dods added: “I only got here at the time of inspection. I went for a walk and it was clear that it was not doable. I don’t think there was the slightest doubt that it was not fit to race.”
Dods co-coach Katie Scott agreed. “I went to see the track and if it had been set we wouldn’t have raced. It wasn’t safe. I’m just a little disappointed that we weren’t informed earlier that there was a problem.” she says.
“It’s very frustrating and at the end of the day I’m going to have to charge my owner for transport which is inconvenient and not a good thing to do, but we drove the horse to the races and paid the staff.
“It can’t be avoided and we would never want to race if it wasn’t safe, but we arrived and we didn’t even know there was an inspection. Everything was a bit behind the bridle.
Senior rider Paul Mulrennan, who was part of the inspection team, said: “It’s disappointing everyone is gone, but you can’t beat the weather. I hope they can sort this out for tomorrow, but the track was frozen and it wasn’t safe, so what can you do?
“It’s disappointing, it was a great day for Newcastle. They were going to be the only race televised on ITV and they couldn’t get it right, so hopefully they sort it out for tomorrow.
John Grossick Racing
” title=”The surface in Newcastle shortly after the meeting was canceled” class=”js-imageLoader” data-at-xn=”https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2022/12 /10/120643-medium.jpeg” data-br-n=”https://fooday.shop/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/1670699116_108_Newcastle-employee-hits-back-after-coaches-slam-frustrating-cancellation.jpeg” data-br-m= ” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2022/12/10/120643-large.jpeg” data-br-w=”https://www.rp-assets.com/images/ news /2022/12/10/120643-large.jpeg” data-br-xw=”https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2022/12/10/120643-large.jpeg” onclick = “return false;”>
Chief steward Adrian Smith, speaking to Sky Sports Racing, said: “We found the surface where it is inflated is good, but as soon as you go down an inch it looks like the ground is frozen. It’s very firm underneath, and unanimously jockeys and trainers have all said it’s not safe for horses to run on it.
“When you get this type of temperature, any humidity becomes solid and everyone was of the opinion that it was not safe. Ultimately, the safety of jockeys and horses is the most important thing. »
The two teams will however need to reconcile quickly with Newcastle due to stage an extra game on Sunday, with the first race scheduled for 12.08pm, although an inspection has been called for 7.30am.
Quayle hopes the meeting will take place. She said: “We’re going to review today for tomorrow’s game and tomorrow morning, and make sure we’re in a better place.
“We’re looking at different ways to tear up the track, but we’re just going to fight the temperature. We can’t beat the weather but we can do our best and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Rebecca Menzies, Coach
“It’s disappointing. We put a lot of effort into our gallops at home and in my opinion the weather hasn’t been that bad, we’ve been able to keep two gallops open all week to train the horses and we we’ve been doing it all year. It was disappointing that it wasn’t recognized sooner, so maybe something could have been done about it. Hopefully they can put something in place to tomorrow’s meeting. I only had one runner, the underdog of three in a really valuable race. It’s not the end of the world but for people who have traveled, I imagine it’s been a very expensive day for them.
Jason Hart, Rider
“I did not take part in the inspection, so I am not in the best position to comment on this because I was in the weighing room. Obviously it’s frustrating, I had three outings and a good chance, but when he does like that, he does like that. But when it’s an all-weather surface, it’s frustrating.
PJ McDonald, rider
“I only got there late and the guys were inspecting when I got there. I got a few calls on my way to say it was frozen and I spoke to the course manager when I arrived and asked if they were working and she said they had done everything ‘they could. She told me they couldn’t have done more and who am I to argue with them if they think they did everything they could. We just have to learn from it and move on.
Then read them. . .
Sign up to receive In the nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your must-have morning feed, straight to your inbox every morning.
#Newcastle #employee #hits #coaches #slam #frustrating #cancellation #Horse #racing #news