Racing officials are optimistic Saturday’s Warwick Farm program will go ahead despite having meetings at Canterbury and Gosford washed out.
The wet and windy weather across NSW’s east coast claimed the seven-event card set down for Canterbury on Wednesday after the track received 50mm of rain.
Gosford, which was scheduled to race on Thursday, was also called off after more than 100mm lashed the Central Coast circuit.
Chief steward Ray Murrihy spent much of Wednesday morning trying to reschedule the meetings but in the end was left with little alternative than to abandon them.
“We’ve been concentrating on trying to get these meetings on but the weather has had the final say,” Murrihy said.
“It doesn’t seem practical to try to reschedule while these tracks are as they are and while the weather forecast is as it is.”
The heavy rain is forecast to continue in Sydney on Thursday with showers predicted from Friday through to at least next Tuesday.
It is rare for a Sydney meeting to be called off before a race is run and a particular surprise it has happened at Canterbury, renowned as the city’s best wet weather track.
The loss of the meetings will no doubt reignite calls to install a synthetic all-weather track within the radius of the Sydney metropolitan area.
“Personally, I can’t remember the last metropolitan meeting we called off (before a race was run),” Murrihy said.
“But the forecast is not good. The track has taken a lot of water and there’s a bit of wear and tear there which was a factor as well.”
Warwick Farm has so far dodged the worst of the wet weather and the track was rated a slow (7) on Wednesday.
Eight races are scheduled for Saturday, including the Rosebud Previews, and Murrihy says they are “very hopeful” Warwick Farm will go ahead.
The loss of the Canterbury program has all but put paid to Nash Rawiller’s hopes of riding 100 winners this season.
Rawiller notched his 92nd success of the season at Rosehill last Saturday but now has to ride eight winners in just three meetings to reach the century.
The hoop, who has the Sydney jockeys’ title sewn up, has four rides at Warwick Farm including the promising Duke Of Cornwall for John O’Shea in the Happy 35th Birthday Mario Tartak Hcp (1200m).
AAP TURF
