Werribee Abandoned After Storm
- Saturday, 10 December 2011 08:45
A severe thunderstorm has caused Saturday's Werribee races to be abandoned after just two events at its first meeting in nine months.
The club, which faced extinction three years ago, has had only three meetings since its new track opened in December last year.
Saturday's seven-race card was its first fixture since the club held its Cup meeting on March 18.
Stewards and jockeys inspected the track after 29mm of rain had fallen up to 3.30pm (AEDT) which included 22mm in a 15-minute period following the second race, leaving significant surface water.
In addition to the state of the track, the club also experienced a collapsed roof in the members' dining room as well as other significant flooding and damage to several areas of the racecourse.
"It's an extremely disappointing outcome as the return to racing at Werribee was greatly anticipated by everyone," Werribee Racing Club chief executive Jeremy Crawford said.
"We had a large number of dining and marquee bookings for today and it promised to be a great day of racing.
"The safety and wellbeing of both jockeys and horses is paramount and we fully understand the need to abandon the meeting."
