Waterlogging claims Leicester’s Wednesday card

Adam Morgan
January 8, 2023 4:57 pm

Bangor also inspect on Monday ahead of Thursday fixture.

Leicester have abandoned their meeting on Wednesday due to waterlogging and areas of false ground.

A pre-Christmas cold snap saw plenty of racing cancelled last month, but now it appears to be the persistent wet weather which is causing tracks problems as the jumps season heads into the second half of the campaign.

The East Midlands venue was set to host a six-race card with the feature race the Listed Kube – Leicester’s Premier Events Venue Mares’ Chase over two miles.

But with heavy rain forecast for Tuesday and parts of the track already waterlogged, an inspection was called for 3pm on Sunday, with the decision made to abandon 72 hours in advance of the fixture.

Clerk of the course Jimmy Stevenson said: “We were heavy ground in the middle of last week and have been heavy ground since we raced on December 28.

“Obviously we couldn’t take much more rain and we’ve had 18 millimetres in the last three days, which has got into the ground and created waterlogging and some false ground.

“The forecast is not much better unfortunately and there’s a fair bit of rain to come yet, so we’ve been left with no choice really.”

Bangor-On-Dee racecourse will inspect on Monday ahead of their meeting on Thursday (Simon Marper/PA)

The situation looks just as bleak at Bangor ahead of their meeting on Thursday with both the hurdles and chase track currently unraceable.

There are areas of standing water which, due to height of river, are unable to drain and with further rain forecast throughout the week, an inspection has been called for 10am on Monday.