The final race at Fairview on Friday was abandoned following a protest by the on course Veterinary Surgeon against the extreme heat.
The Sporting Post has learnt that the rare absence of wind and the stifling heat, some of it generated off the polytrack surface, had created extremely uncomfortable conditions for the horses.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that a runner in the seventh race had died of possible circumstances related to heat exhaustion.
An independent observer at the track informed the Sporting Post shortly after 15h00 that the prevailing conditions were ‘not fair’on the horses.
The meeting was abandoned over an hour later.
NHA Racing Executive Arnold Hyde said that the welfare of the horses were of paramount importance and that the co-operation of all stakeholders in the decision to abandon the final event on the nine race card had been commendable.
Phumelela GM Luciano Passerini said that the very high humidity and absence of any wind had combined to create the conditions. He felt that the polytrack temperatures had been higher in the past, but that the combination on Friday was extreme.
It is thought that the temperature at Fairview was around 27 degrees with high humidity at the time of abandonment.
It is believed that this is the first time in the history of horseracing in South Africa that extreme temperatures have contributed to a decision to abandon racing.
