Late decision to scrap Limerick set to cost course a 'small fortune'

Limerick – which, together with Navan, fell victim to the weather on Sunday – has been left facing the loss of a "small fortune" after leaving the decision to abandon until less than an hour before the original start time.

Navan failed an 8am morning inspection, but the first warning that Limerick may have been in trouble did not arrive until 11am, when a decision was made to put back the first race by half an hour to 2.30pm.

Limerick manager Patrick O’Callaghan said: “Even at 11am we thought we’d still be racing but the snow came down very late and we’d no choice but to call it off in the end.”

O'Callaghan added: “We walked the course this morning at 9am and there was no sign of snow. What was forecast was a light dusting and obviously there’s a lot more than that here now.

“It’s going to cost the racecourse a small fortune. If the snow had arrived this morning we’d have been able to call it off early, but we couldn’t call it off over what might happen.

"Instead, we’ve to pay everyone who arrived here for their day’s work despite the fact that we’ve no racing."

Racing is scheduled for Monday afternoon at Limerick, but it remains doubtful.

O’Callaghan said on Sunday: “We’ve got an 8am inspection for tomorrow’s card but if the temperatures don’t lift and that snow keeps falling, I’d imagine we could be in trouble.”

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