The polytrack saved the Fairview meeting for the second week in a row when last Friday’s eight-race turf programme was switched at the last moment to the all-weather.
Phumelela advised at 12h00 that following an inspection of the course by the Stipes, Vet, Course Manager and Jockeys it was decided to move the race meeting to the Polytrack following the rain that had continued to fall through Friday morning, due to unsafe underfoot conditions on the Turf.
Certain SP readers have questioned why the decision to switch was left to under an hour before the first race
Phumelela Eastern Cape GM Luciano Passerini told the Sporting Post that the penetrometer reading was 25 on Thursday.
“That’s soft at Fairview. The rain was intermittent on Friday morning. We had 4 mm’s of rain in the morning. We tried our best to stay on the turf. But our decision to switch to poly was vindicated as 13mm’s had fallen by the time we ran the last. The best interests of safety for horse and rider are paramount.”
He pointed out that a switch before the first was preferred as most punters had not yet placed their exotic bets.
There is plenty of sunshine predicted for Fairview on Friday when South Africa’s only stakes feature in the month of August, the Listed Jockey Club Stakes, will be the mainliner.
