Wet weather forces South Australian changes
Persistent wet weather across South Australia has forced a series of race meeting and barrier trial alterations, with Racing SA working to minimise disruptions while maintaining safe conditions for participants and horses.
The latest changes come after Wednesday’s Murray Bridge meeting was abandoned after the opening race when 16mm of rain fell within 20 minutes, leaving surface water on the track and rendering conditions unsafe. The meeting had already been delayed earlier in the day due to lightning in the area.
Racing SA has transferred the remainder of the program to Tuesday, July 7.
The Murray Bridge track is currently rated a Heavy 9 ahead of Saturday’s metropolitan meeting, although officials say conditions are continuing to improve.
Meanwhile, Racing SA stewards have transferred the meeting scheduled for Gawler on July 11 to Morphettville Parks after an inspection found sections of the Gawler track had been affected by recent rainfall.
Morphettville also remains heavily affected by rain, with the track rated a Heavy 10 ahead of the July 8 meeting after receiving 45mm of rain during the week.
The wet conditions have also disrupted trial schedules. Following the abandonment of Thursday’s Morphettville barrier trials, Racing SA has brought forward the Mindarie-Halidon barrier trials from July 23 to July 16 to provide additional opportunities for participants.
Racing SA Chief Operations Officer Ryan Stanaway said clubs had faced significant challenges after an intense period of rainfall across Adelaide and surrounding regions.
“It has been a challenging period for our clubs, with almost a month’s worth of rain falling across Adelaide and surrounding areas in a 48-hour window,” Stanaway said.
“Our priority is to ensure racing is conducted safely, while doing everything we can to provide racing opportunities for participants.
“We are grateful for the support of clubs, their staff and their volunteer network who have accommodated transfers and schedule changes, and to participants who have remained nimble and understanding of the challenges.”
