The Listed KwaZulu-Natal Stakes, an important warm-up for sprinting fillies leading into Champions Season, fell foul of the weather a fortnight back and again on Sunday when the Scottsville meeting was abandoned after the running of the first race when a jockey’s protest of inconsistent going was upheld.
Gold Circle are contemplating moving the eight races lost at Scottsville on Sunday to Scottsville, Wednesday, April 18, weather permitting, and moving the Greyville poly meeting scheduled for that Wednesday to Friday night, April 20.
After deliberations on Saturday in the stipendiary steward’s boardroom, head stipe Shaun Parker called for a track inspection. After a lengthy inspection of both the straight course and the track around the turn, it was decided to call the meeting off.
The official stipendiary stewards report reads:
Following the running of the first race, the riders expressed concerns regarding inconsistencies in the heavy underfoot track condition and lodged a protest in terms of the rules. The panel was formed and having heard all the evidence presented by the trainer and jockey representatives and following a track inspection, it was decided in the interest of safety to abandon the remainder of the race meeting.
- Gold Circle Press Release issued on 15 April 2018
