Today’s Sportsbet Ballarat meeting abandoned

Racing Victoria (RV) and the Ballarat Turf Club advise that the remainder of today’s Sportsbet Ballarat meeting has been abandoned due to slipping concerns raised by jockeys with the racing surface.

Jockeys raised concerns with RV Stewards following the running of Race 2, after a horse was believed to have slipped during the race near the 1000m.

An indefinite delay followed while Stewards inspected multiple areas of concern on the track between the 1000m and 400m in conjunction with jockeys.

Stewards then ordered the track be aerovated between the 1000m and 380m to remedy the issues, before conducting a further inspection alongside jockeys.

A subsequent vote resulted in the jockeys engaged in the next two scheduled races (Races 3 and 4), as per the track inspection safety policy, voting in favour of abandoning the meeting 14 to 3 before Stewards officially abandoned the meeting at 2.50pm.

A routine gallop was conducted over the Ballarat surface this morning, with the feedback from the senior jockey that the track was suitable for racing.

RV’s Tracks and Facilities team will inspect the Ballarat track and work with club staff to remedy the issues ahead of their next race meeting on Monday, 2 November.

Under RV’s abandoned meeting policy, the connections of any horses engaged to run in today’s remaining seven races are eligible to receive a compensation fee.

Trainers may nominate horses that remained in the abandoned races after the scratching deadline as extended entries for the Bendigo Cup meeting next Wednesday, 28 October by 6pm this evening.

RV’s Racing Operations team will review the upcoming program in due course to determine if any adjustments are required.