Helicopters, squeegees and hope: how the Western meeting was lost

They say God loves a trier and so it was little surprise track officials at Ayr looked to the skies to save the Western meeting – although it was not the almighty they turned to.

So determined were track officials to save the meeting, Scotland's premier Flat fixture, they employed a helicopter to hover over the waterlogged area in the hopes the downwash would blow the damp patch dry.

The chopper came courtesy of course chairman Alan MacDonald, who was returning from Pontefract, where he had watched his horse run.

"When he was made aware of the situation he had the helicopter come over and hover over the affected area," said Ayr managing director David Brown. "We were throwing everything at it."

Worked on tirelessly

The helicopter was joined by eight 'squeegee' machines that tackle waterlogging, sent down from Glasgow's Hampden Park courtesy of Gold Cup backers William Hill who also sponsor the main stand there.

The target area was a patch of waterlogging two and a half furlongs from home on the straight track.

It was worked on tirelessly by clerk of the course Graeme Anderson and the groundstaff as soon as it emerged on Thursday morning, scuppering racing that day.

"They had various mats to try to absorb as much water as was possible," said Brown, who stressed that brain was applied to the situation as well as brawn, with various meeting-saving suggestions investigated.

"We presented a number of possible opportunities," he said. "We considered trying to rail off different parts of the track. We looked at putting fibresand down or deep turfing."

That is what was going on before the controversial decision to pull the plug on Friday's racing during an unannounced inspection at 7pm on Thursday evening and still more scenarios were run through before the final decision to call off Gold Cup Saturday early the following morning.

"Let's be clear, the last thing that anyone associated with Ayr racecourse would have wanted to do was cancel these three days of racing," Brown said.

"But the racing professionals took the view that they probably wouldn't be appropriate or may not succeed. Equine and jockey safety are paramount and would never be compromised."

24 hours of woe: how events at Ayr unfolded

Thursday
8am Ayr unexpectedly call an inspection for 9.30am due to an area of waterlogging
9am Thursday's meeting is called off and an inspection for 8am the following day is called. Officials say they are 'very confident' Friday's meeting will go ahead
5pm BHA inspector of courses Chris Dennis arrives at Ayr
7pm After a late and unannounced inspection of the track, officials call off Friday's meeting. A further inspection for Saturday's Gold Cup day card is scheduled for noon the following day

Friday
8am With no prospect of the waterlogged areas clearing in time, Saturday's card is cancelled

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