More than 30 non-runners at Doncaster after ground eases significantly

Sunday’s card at Doncaster has been hit by mass withdrawals after a change of going, with almost half the intended runners pulled out.

A total of 62 horses were declared for the second part of the two-day meeting but 32 had been taken out by 10.30am, 26 of them on account of the ground. 

Clerk of the course Paul Barker said: “The non-runners are no surprise. Horses were declared on Friday when the ground was soft, good to soft in places on the hurdles course and good to soft, soft in places on the chase.

“We had 8mm of rain and hail yesterday and it’s now soft, heavy in places on the chase course and heavy, soft in places over hurdles.

“The majority of the withdrawals were made yesterday and it always makes more of a mess when it rains during racing, the rain doesn’t have time to soak in.”

Only race set to offer each-way betting on the first three places was the opening mares' novice hurdle, in which nine of the 13 declared runners stood their ground.

Just five runners remained in three of the subsequent five races, with only four going to post in the 2m3f chase and the bumper.

Doncaster staged a seven-race card on Saturday, when conditions became so gruelling that eight of the ten runners in the feature Grimthorpe Chase were pulled up.

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