A leading owner, a trainer and a jockey’s wife are amongst those who have come out strongly on social media to express their unhappiness with the cancellation of Tuesday’s Scottsville race meeting.
The meeting scheduled for Tuesday 7 April was advised as cancelled this morning ‘due to a waterlogged track.’
This followed after Sunday’s meeting at the same venue was abandoned after the fourth race following a jockey protest.
It would seem that a breakdown in communication and a lack of consultation are at the root of the unhappiness.
The Gr1 winning owner said:
“So much rain fell on Saturday making Scottsville racetrack waterlogged, but we still started to race on the track. Then racing abandoned as unsafe to race – sure it’s safe for jocks and our horses. Then we hear Tuesday’s races abandoned at SCOTTSVILE because track is bad. Now my point is you have spent millions on a POLYTRACK to not let races be lost, so why we losing this race meeting? Disgusting to me. It’s now getting into our season. If this is to continue happening then our KZN trainers will battle to qualify our horses for the big races and we owners are going to pay dearly.”
The trainer said:
” Trainers are not even asked. We are nothing. Trainers should have balls and don’t nominate their horses and see where racing will go. That means All trainers”
Another trainer posted:
“Nobody can tell us why it has not been moved to the poly – disgrace!”
The jockey’s wife said:
“Very well said! I couldn’t agree more and more owners and trainers need to boycott to make the point come across more strongly. It is ridiculous if you’re not going to use the poly.”
There has been no formal communication from the racing operator.
