The Abu Dhabi Racing and Equestrian Club is confident it will stage racing again in time for its next fixture after it was forced to scratch Sunday’s card.
Officials at the turf venue inspected the track and cancelled the six-race card on safety grounds and to allow extensive maintenance of the surface in time for the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club Gold Cup meeting on February 7.
Heavy rains ahead of the fixture on January 3 resulted in a surface described as officially yielding. Although on Sunday racing took place, the going was still described only as good.
“The course got cut up last night during racing and it just hasn’t come back together this morning,” said Pat Buckley, the club’s racing manager.
“It is a safety thing. I think 99 times out of 100 nothing would happen but we don’t take those sort of chances here.
“We will go through the normal procedures and will have jockeys and trainers take a look at it before we race again. I have no doubt we will be racing on February 7.”
A high-class field had been entered for the HH The President Cup prep, a Purebred Arabian race over 2,200 metres.
International campaigners Mushrae and Djet Taouy had been pencilled in for their seasonal debuts, while three-time Abu Dhabi winner Shaheer, owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, President of the UAE, was also in line for a run.
Elsewhere, South Africa has provided nine winners of the Al Fahidi Fort and the country could be well represented in the feature at Meydan on Thursday.
Mike de Kock has won the Group 2 race over 1,400 metres six times and has five runners. Compatriot Paul Lafferty could have his first runner in Harry’s Son. Safety Check will be back to defend his title in the Dh918,262 prize money event.
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