Southwell's valuable New Year's Day card called off due to waterlogging

Southwell's new flagship New Year's Day meeting was called off due to waterlogging after an unexpectedly heavy overnight downpour.

The track was hit by 15mm of rain and the card, which was due to carry £165,000 in prize-money and feature a £75,000 hurdle race, was cancelled after a 1pm inspection.

Executive director Mark Clayton said: "We walked the course and it was still unfit for racing. It's now raining relatively heavy and the forecast has got worse.

"It's very sad for us. The last few months have been a rollercoaster, having had the flood then getting racing back.

"We've a lot to look forward to in 2024, with the Winter Derby Trial on January 25 and our first Group race a month later, which is more then we could ever have hoped for a few years ago. But we've started the year off on a bit of a sad note."  

Officials at Ffos Las were forced to cancel the course's Wednesday card following a midday inspection. The track, which was heavy and waterlogged in places, has been hit by 70mm of rainfall in recent days and even more is forecast. 

The year ended without jumps racing in Britain as Sunday's meetings at Warwick and Uttoxeter were cancelled.

The going was heavy at Warwick and rain overnight took the course's intake to over 54mm since Monday. It caused officials at the track to take action even before the scheduled inspection time at 7.30am. 

The track's next meeting is Classic Chase day on January 13 and precautions are already being taken in order to give the course the best possible chance of racing.

Ryall said: "We've got two weeks and we keep ground for the Classic Chase that's not been raced on since September. We've got a few more days of rain to come but towards the end of the week it looks drier, so fingers crossed we'll be okay."

Warwick: will host the Classic Chase on January 13Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

At Uttoxeter, more than 10mm fell on saturated ground, meaning the track was left with standing water in places and was therefore unraceable. 

Clerk of the course Richard Fothergill said: "We had 10mm overnight and we were always up against it with the forecast. There was a point last night where it hadn't really rained and we thought we might get away with it, but the rain came from 9pm through to the early hours and we've had a little since then. 

"It was too much for the track to take with the rain we had a couple of days ago that wasn't forecast. It's such a shame because it's a big day for us and the team here has worked so hard to try to get the meeting on, but unfortunately the weather has beaten us this time."

Weather prospects

Monday

Tramore - heavy
Fairyhouse - heavy, soft to heavy in places
Cheltenham - heavy, dry overnight and in the morning, showers from 11am
Exeter - heavy, soft in places, persistent showers on Sunday but dry start to Monday
Musselburgh - soft, good to soft in places
Catterick - heavy, soft in places, some rain forecast Sunday evening but dry overnight and Monday
Newcastle - standard
Southwell - abandoned, waterlogged

Tuesday

Fakenham - soft, good to soft in places
Ayr - heavy, soft in places, chance of ground improving if forecast accurate
Wolverhampton - standard

Wednesday

Huntingdon - good to soft, soft in places, some rain but predominantly dry forecast
Kempton - standard to slow
Ffos Las - abandoned, waterlogged

Posted at 2.50pm on Sunday

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