The Preux Chevalier Free-for-All, one of six abandoned races from Cranbourne last night due to extreme fog, will be reprogrammed at Geelong on Saturday July 17 with new nominations sought.
Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) stewards in consultation with Cranbourne officials, trainers and drivers called off last night’s trots after three races due to the conditions, which severely impacted visibility.
Speaking on Trots Vision, Chief Steward Brett Day said the decision arose from “significant safety concerns”, including the ability of the Clerk of the Course to be able to react quickly in the event of a race fall.
“The other paramount consideration for us was the impact on the photo finishing image for race number three,” Day said.
“We were unable to obtain a clear photo finish image as a result of the fog, which the judging staff advised had only worsened leading up to Race 4.
“In those circumstances we wouldn’t be doing the right thing by anybody from a safety perspective or an integrity perspective to be able to determine a fair result.”
Nominations for the reprogrammed Preux Chevalier Free-for-All will close at noon tomorrow. The race will carry a purse of $24,000 and is open to NR90 to NR120 rated horses over 2100m.
