Pau abandons Crystal Cup cross-country card
France: Pau has lost its battle with the frozen ground and abandoned the jumping portion of Sunday's card, including the Crystal Cup cross country race and the Listed Grande Course de Haies.
Officials commenced racing on the all weather as scheduled at 1pm local time with the first of three flat races in an attempt to give the threeturf courses as long as possible to thaw, after Saturday's snow was followed by another night of sub-zero temperatures.
But Pau director Francois Galibert conceded defeat after a delegation of trainers and officials had walked the course.
"We kept the meeting on because the forecast for the morning was rain, but unfortunately there wasn't enough to completely thaw out the ground," Galibert said shortly after the abandonment at 2pm.
Pauwas scheduled to host the first leg of this year's Crystal Cup series, the Prix Gaston de Bataille, in which the Philippe Cottin-trained Malbereux was seeking to record his fourth straight success.
Whether that race, as well as two other listed contests, can be rescheduled will depend on both an improvement in the weather and the co-operation of racing, betting and trotting authorities.
One possibility would be to try again next Sunday, but there is already good flat racing at Cagnes-sur-Mer and the Group 1 Prix de l'Ile-de-France trotting card at Paris-Vincennes competing for punters' attentions.
"It's too early to say [if they can be rescheduled]," said Galibert.
"We are due to race on Tuesday and Friday next week, but the weather forecast is uncertain, and while we will work with France Galop to find a solution, the calendar is already quite packed in terms of premium meetings."
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