Jockeys give up and leave Doncaster races before fixture is abandoned due to ‘unrelenting’ snow
JOCKEYS were seen giving up and leaving Doncaster races before the meeting was cancelled – as the track became engulfed in ‘unrelenting’ snow.
An inspection was called to determine if the seven-race card could go ahead but the whole fixture was abandoned soon after.
Sky Sports RacingSky Sports presenter Harvey said an hour of ‘unrelenting’ snow had make the track unraceable[/caption]
Sky SportsThe betting ring was deserted at Doncaster as the snow continued to fall[/caption]
Sky SportsIt was soon clear no racing could take place[/caption]
Sky SportsDunne left the track while the inspection was still ongoing[/caption]
Sky Sports pictures showed the racecourse had turned totally white under what presenter Luke Harvey called ‘unrelenting’ snow.
He said: “I was here two hours before racing and there wasn’t a worry, it was just sleet and not settling on the course.
“In the last hour it has snowed very, very hard.
“There’s snow and ice everywhere. This track was absolutely fine.
“There’s no one to blame here but the elements.”
Cameras caught Robbie Dunne among the jockeys leaving with their items before official word came through that it had definitely been scrapped.
With no grass visible anywhere on the track – which hosts the famous St Leger race every September – it was clear racing couldn’t go ahead.
The Met Office has issued weather warnings with snow, ice and rain set to batter large parts of Britain.
The decision to abandon Doncaster came after a shambolic admin error meant one race at Newcastle, scheduled for tonight, had to be postponed.
BHA bosses were forced to apologise after realising the 5.05pm Class 6 contest would take place in the dark.
Newcastle has floodlights but only on the straight track meaning the start of the 1m2f race – set for eight minutes after sunset – would not have been covered.
A whopping seven weather alerts have been issued for much of the UK today in a bitter cold snap – with up to 25cm of snow falling in parts.
The latest bad weather spell comes just weeks after severe flooding wrecked racecourses up and down the country.
Huntingdon racecourse became a total write-off after it was flooded with dirty water during Storm Henk.
While Worcester racecourse had people paddling down the home straight in their kayaks.
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