KEY POINTS:
Recent renovations to the Trentham track were not to blame for the abandonment of the Masterton Racing Club's meeting on Saturday, said track manager Lyn Biddle.
The meeting was called off with two of the 10 races remaining after one horse fell during race eight and another two riders were dislodged past the winning post.
Racing at Trentham was suspended for 7 1/2 months last year while a $650,000 track renovation was undertaken that included new drains for the entire track.
Biddle said he had no concerns with the drainage work.
"It's got absolutely nothing to do with the drainage," he said.
Light rain fell throughout the day's racing and Biddle said Saturday's problem was compounded with the running rail being out quite wide, up to 10m down the back straight.
"As the day continued the riders have progressively gone wider and wider and we were almost out in the trees," he said.
"We were racing on ground that we probably haven't raced on for 30 years or maybe more."
Chief stipendiary steward Cameron George took it upon himself to abandon the meeting even though many jockeys were prepared to see out the final two races.
"I'm happy to say that I'm the one that pulled the pin," George said.
"I called the meeting off despite the jockeys saying they would continue riding. I didn't want to put their safety at risk."
The track at the beginning of the day was rated dead but was downgraded to slow then heavy as rain continued. It was far from a very heavy track but George's concern was the slipperiness.
He said riding would not be competitive and following a track inspection slip marks were evident.
"It's a recipe for disaster," he said.
Jockeys complained of track inconsistency, mainly in the back straight.
Manawatu rider David Walker said: "It's inconsistent, it's patchy, there's not a lot of grass in places."
Kane Smith, whose mount fell at the 850m in race eight, said: "It goes from heavy to firm to heavy to firm. It shouldn't be like that."
Smith said his mount slipped over from the slightest of interference.
- NZPA
