Dick Poole card at Salisbury on Thursday cancelled after 27mm of rain in past day
Salisbury is hoping it can save its flagship race of the year again after Thursday's Dick Poole card was cancelled for the second year in a row due to waterlogging.
The Wiltshire track was hit by 30mm of rain from last Wednesday to Monday before 10mm arrived yesterday and a further 17mm overnight.
That resulted in the going description changing to heavy, waterlogged in places on Wednesday morning. An inspection was held at 9am but the course was deemed unfit for racing.
Salisbury's clerk of the course Jeremy Martin said: "It's a huge shame. I've been here 25 years and it's the second time in a row we've lost the main meeting. The weather changed last week and we've had 60mm of rain since then. We raced last Friday and we railed off ground after that, but it hasn't been able to cope with the rainfall.
"It's a very undulating track and areas can get compromised with rainfall, and there were a few areas of ground I wasn't happy with. We've had to water more than you would during a typical summer, but the weather turned very quickly. Another 10-15mm of rain was possible before and during Thursday, so we made an early decision. It's bitterly disappointing, but there was little prospect of racing."
The fixture was due to stage the Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes. The 6f Group 3 was rescheduled last year and Salisbury is trying to do so again for its next meeting on September 12.
Martin said: "We're having conversations to make it happen. We hope the weather is far more favourable next week and while it's to be determined, there seems to be genuine interest to reschedule it."
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