Liam Magee and Sam Ando didn’t let the wet weather ruin their fun at the Werribee track. 74776 Picture: DAMIAN VISENTINI
BY MICHAEL ESPOSITO
WERRIBEE Racing Club’s first race meet of the season was cut short after a freak storm hit the track on Saturday afternoon.
The last five races on the seven-race card were abandoned, after 22mm of rain pelted the track in just 15-minutes shortly after the second race was run. The club reported 67mm of rain in a 24-hour period.
The races weren’t the only sport to be abandoned in the area. The Werribee and Yarraville Sub-District cricket game was called off, while the sprint car event at Avalon Raceway was also cancelled.
Werribee Racing Club CEO Jeremy Crawford said while the Werribee track drained quickly, it was too soft to run on after the deluge.
Racing Victoria stewards and jockeys inspected the track after race two and in consultation with club officials, decided to call off the remaining races.
It was decided that the significant surface water on the track, particularly between the 400m and 200m marks, was unsafe for racing.
Mother Nature has not been kind to the Werribee track after it re-opened last year. A wet 2010 spring denied the newly laid track time to consolidate, resulting in the final four meets of Werribee’s 2010/11 racing season being relocated.
Then, in the club’s first meet since 18 March, Saturday’s freak storm ended its Christmas-themed start to the 2011/12 racing season.
On a positive note, jockeys who ran in the first two races were reportedly impressed with the track.
The storm caused the members dining room roof to collapse and resulted in flooding and damage to other areas of the racecourse.
Despite the general public leaving after the meet was abandoned at 3pm, festivities continued for the corporate patrons and in the marquees where the club provided hospitality throughout the afternoon.
For the record, the Patrick Payne-trained Wests Tigers won the 2200m Les Libby Memorial Maiden Plate, while Heart of Melbourne, trained by Mick Price, won the 1000m Werribee Cup Day maiden plate.
Next race meet: 15 January.
