Bellewstown calls off Barney Curley Charity Cup card before feature race

Bellewstown was on Wednesday forced to call off the final two races, including the Barney Curley Charity Cup featuring Frankie Dettori, due to deteriorating ground conditions.

Met Eireann had warned of possible flooding, treacherous travel conditions, power outages and fallen trees, with a status yellow wind warning issued in Leinster and Munster coming into effect at 7am on the morning of racing.

The going at the track before the opening race was described as heavy following a further 3mm of rainfall to add to the 2mm overnight.

The track had held five of the seven races on the card, but a decision was made before the Barney Curley Charity Cup (4.20), a race in which Dettori and Willie Mullins were set to renew rivalries in the second edition of the event.

The first five races, three over a mile and two over five furlongs, were contested by small fields. However, riders were concerned about the prospect of bigger fields in the last two races, both of which would include the sweeping bend at the bottom of the home straight.

Clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer said: "The jockeys were happy enough over the first five races, especially the two sprints. But there was a concern about racing around the bottom bend.

"It was okay for the previous races as a pull-up area, but racing on it is a different story. It was deteriorating there quite a bit. It's not satisfactory that people have been inconvenienced – it's been a tough day for everybody."

Looking ahead to the scheduled Flat meeting on Thursday afternoon, Wyer said: "The forecast is a lot drier for overnight and tomorrow. We have about six yards of fresh ground to play with.

"I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but we have that and we will try to pump as much water as we can off it. There is enough there to have an inspection at 7.30am in the morning."

Perth's meeting on Thursday is subject to an inspection at 7.30am, with the going easing to heavy during racing on Wednesday and up to 10mm of rain forecast before racing.

Read this next:

Continuous and Fantastic Moon both supplemented for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.