They're Off!
February 5th 2009 07:38
But not the horses.
Not this Saturday.
Not in Melbourne.
The Melbourne Autumn carnival has suffered a slight weather hiccup with the predicted oppressive weather making the Melbourne Racing Club reschedule the big Orr Stakes racemeeting to the following day, Sunday.
(photo: Vince Caliguiri)
And a very wise decision it is.
Only last week the metropolitan meeting at Sandown was cancelled on a hot 43C day (110F) because of the welfare concern for both horse and rider (and all ancillary staff). No point a jockey collapsing on the home turn. No point a horse suffering heat stress.
Earlier this morning a representative from the MRC (when interviewed on Radio 927 in Melbourne) was making definite plans to proceed and still race on Saturday. The races had been rescheduled (pencilled in) to begin at 10am - but an even earlier start was entertained.
But then the trainers were interviewed. Dan O’Sullivan was very unimpressed and a more than veiled threat to scratch was evident in his tone and comments. And other trainers interviewed worried about the long term effect a run in 40 degree (plus) heat would have on future engagements. No one interviewed believed that an early start would escape the predicted unbearable heat.
Trainer Steve Richards, who has Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Rostova engaged in the Blue Diamond Prelude had been adamant the meeting should be moved to Sunday.
"Commonsense has to prevail. I think the meeting just has to be moved back to Sunday, as simple as that. There's no question. Just do it for the welfare of the horses and the jockeys." - Steve Richards.
Pat Hyland, who has Zarita resuming in the Orr Stakes, said the decision was clear cut.
"I don't think the club has much choice. My feeling is that it would be best to run the races on Sunday. I think it is the safest way to go. If you run the races early on Saturday and it is stinking hot and the jockeys are exhausted where are we? The meeting doesn't go on." - Pat Hyland.
The CF Orr Stakes hosts a star studded line-up. Light Fantastic will run favourite in a field that boasts two Cox Plate winners and numerous Group One winners of just last year: El Segundo; Maldivian; Niconero; Alamosa; Theseo and others.
Sydney has a problem with a similar heatwave - though the forecast is for a cool change early in the afternoon. They have pushed their meeting at Rosehill back to start at 2.30pm.
But in Melbourne the weather is predicted to begin warm - and only get warmer.
Racing Victoria Limited (RVL), in conjunction with the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) and other key stakeholders, reached the decision after ongoing monitoring of the forecast with the Bureau of Meteorology.
"The forecast is for temperatures to get as high as 44 degrees on Saturday so in the best interests and welfare of all horses, jockeys and industry participants the decision was taken to move the meeting to Sunday.” - RVL CEO, Rob Hines.
"Moving the meeting to Sunday is in the best interests of all participants. There were a few options available to us that we were considering in the last day or so since we learnt of the forecast but the common-sense approach was to avoid the oppressive conditions that are expected on Saturday in the interests of all concerned.”
"We gave all the options available to us due consideration before arriving at this decision. It is an important meeting for our Club and for the remainder of the Melbourne Festival of Racing given that it consists of the Group One Sportingbet Orr Stakes and two important divisions of the Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond Preludes.”
“Our primary objective was to ensure that the meeting was conducted at some stage and to be able to do that in the most favourable conditions for everyone was also foremost in our minds." - MRC chief executive, Warran Brown.
During today many bushfire experts have been interviewed on radio concerning the weather forecast that Victoria faces on Saturday. Some expect the temperature to reach 45C on Saturday - and the winds (don’t horses hate wind!) are predicted to be very strong.
"It's looking like a horror day Saturday - or the potential for a horror day, I should say.” - Department of Sustainability and Environment spokeswoman, Laura Crowden.
For everyone reading in the milder climes of other states and other hemispheres, this weather forecast must seem horrendous.
And yes - it is horrendous!
The latest forecast issued from the Bureau of Meteorology:
Melbourne
Forecast for Saturday
Sunny day. Isolated light showers late in the evening. Winds north to northeasterly averaging up to 40 km/h tending northwesterly 35 to 50 km/h during the morning. Winds shifting cooler, gusty southwesterly 35 to 45 km/h during the evening.
City Windy and shower or two.
Min 24
Max 43
Forecast for Sunday
Partly cloudy. Isolated light showers until evening. Winds southwesterly averaging up to 40 km/h tending west to southwesterly up to 35 km/h around midday.
City Windy then shower or two.
Min 20
Max 23
The decision to cancel all racemeetings in Victoria on Saturday - and run the Caulfield Orr Stakes race meeting on Sunday - was a no-brainer. Any other decision would have resembled an addled mind - or one affected by heatstroke.
Not this Saturday.
Not in Melbourne.
The Melbourne Autumn carnival has suffered a slight weather hiccup with the predicted oppressive weather making the Melbourne Racing Club reschedule the big Orr Stakes racemeeting to the following day, Sunday.
Light Fantastic: favourite for rescheduled Orr Stakes
(photo: Vince Caliguiri)
And a very wise decision it is.
Only last week the metropolitan meeting at Sandown was cancelled on a hot 43C day (110F) because of the welfare concern for both horse and rider (and all ancillary staff). No point a jockey collapsing on the home turn. No point a horse suffering heat stress.
Earlier this morning a representative from the MRC (when interviewed on Radio 927 in Melbourne) was making definite plans to proceed and still race on Saturday. The races had been rescheduled (pencilled in) to begin at 10am - but an even earlier start was entertained.
But then the trainers were interviewed. Dan O’Sullivan was very unimpressed and a more than veiled threat to scratch was evident in his tone and comments. And other trainers interviewed worried about the long term effect a run in 40 degree (plus) heat would have on future engagements. No one interviewed believed that an early start would escape the predicted unbearable heat.
Trainer Steve Richards, who has Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Rostova engaged in the Blue Diamond Prelude had been adamant the meeting should be moved to Sunday.
"Commonsense has to prevail. I think the meeting just has to be moved back to Sunday, as simple as that. There's no question. Just do it for the welfare of the horses and the jockeys." - Steve Richards.
Pat Hyland, who has Zarita resuming in the Orr Stakes, said the decision was clear cut.
"I don't think the club has much choice. My feeling is that it would be best to run the races on Sunday. I think it is the safest way to go. If you run the races early on Saturday and it is stinking hot and the jockeys are exhausted where are we? The meeting doesn't go on." - Pat Hyland.
The CF Orr Stakes hosts a star studded line-up. Light Fantastic will run favourite in a field that boasts two Cox Plate winners and numerous Group One winners of just last year: El Segundo; Maldivian; Niconero; Alamosa; Theseo and others.
Sydney has a problem with a similar heatwave - though the forecast is for a cool change early in the afternoon. They have pushed their meeting at Rosehill back to start at 2.30pm.
But in Melbourne the weather is predicted to begin warm - and only get warmer.
Racing Victoria Limited (RVL), in conjunction with the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) and other key stakeholders, reached the decision after ongoing monitoring of the forecast with the Bureau of Meteorology.
"The forecast is for temperatures to get as high as 44 degrees on Saturday so in the best interests and welfare of all horses, jockeys and industry participants the decision was taken to move the meeting to Sunday.” - RVL CEO, Rob Hines.
"Moving the meeting to Sunday is in the best interests of all participants. There were a few options available to us that we were considering in the last day or so since we learnt of the forecast but the common-sense approach was to avoid the oppressive conditions that are expected on Saturday in the interests of all concerned.”
"We gave all the options available to us due consideration before arriving at this decision. It is an important meeting for our Club and for the remainder of the Melbourne Festival of Racing given that it consists of the Group One Sportingbet Orr Stakes and two important divisions of the Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond Preludes.”
“Our primary objective was to ensure that the meeting was conducted at some stage and to be able to do that in the most favourable conditions for everyone was also foremost in our minds." - MRC chief executive, Warran Brown.
During today many bushfire experts have been interviewed on radio concerning the weather forecast that Victoria faces on Saturday. Some expect the temperature to reach 45C on Saturday - and the winds (don’t horses hate wind!) are predicted to be very strong.
"It's looking like a horror day Saturday - or the potential for a horror day, I should say.” - Department of Sustainability and Environment spokeswoman, Laura Crowden.
For everyone reading in the milder climes of other states and other hemispheres, this weather forecast must seem horrendous.
And yes - it is horrendous!
The latest forecast issued from the Bureau of Meteorology:
Melbourne
Forecast for Saturday
Sunny day. Isolated light showers late in the evening. Winds north to northeasterly averaging up to 40 km/h tending northwesterly 35 to 50 km/h during the morning. Winds shifting cooler, gusty southwesterly 35 to 45 km/h during the evening.
City Windy and shower or two.
Min 24
Max 43
Forecast for Sunday
Partly cloudy. Isolated light showers until evening. Winds southwesterly averaging up to 40 km/h tending west to southwesterly up to 35 km/h around midday.
City Windy then shower or two.
Min 20
Max 23
The decision to cancel all racemeetings in Victoria on Saturday - and run the Caulfield Orr Stakes race meeting on Sunday - was a no-brainer. Any other decision would have resembled an addled mind - or one affected by heatstroke.
| 51 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
