YARMOUTH may have to delay racing until later in the year or miss the season altogether according to owner Arena Racing Company amid concerns about the condition of the newly resurfaced track.
The seaside course is aiming for racing to resume on July 23 after it was closed in September to allow resurfacing to take place as a number of ridges developed and a crucial inspection of the track by the BHA is set to take place a week on Friday to assess progress.
However, a wet winter delayed reseeding at Yarmouth, which will not be reopened until the BHA and horsemen are satisfied with the condition of the surface, according to owner Arena Racing Company.
Susannah Gill, director of external affairs at Arc, even raised the possibility of Yarmouth not racing again this year if the grass growth is not deemed acceptable.
She said: "We are still hoping to open on July 23 but it is a watching brief. There is a lovely sward on the track, but the next BHA inspection on Friday week is crucial and there is a chance the opening could be put back if officials are not happy with it.
"We had an awful winter with more rain than usual which meant a delay in the reseeding. The turf looks great but it depends how deep the sward is and if it can take half a ton of horse. We want the track for the next five, ten and 15 years and if we don't think the course is up to it there is an outside chance we won't race this season.
"It's a judgement call and there is a safety element involved especially with the impact of three consecutive days in September at our Eastern Festival."
Should Yarmouth receive a positive update from the BHA, trainers are expected to be asked to exercise their horses on the surface to gauge the grass growth.
Gill added: "If we get the green light from the BHA we would look to have some trials on it the following week. We want the Newmarket trainers to bring their good horses to Yarmouth like they did 20 years ago."
doubt it will be missed much, attendances only once went over 5000 last year with the lowest being 772 on the 22nd April. Would be better off shutting it down permanently imho
doubt it will be missed much, attendances only once went over 5000 last year with the lowest being 772 on the 22nd April. Would be better off shutting it down permanently imho
around 13000 turn up for the eastern festival around 5000 for the sunday fixture the easter Monday and ladies night are also well supported,very few racecourses get 6 busy days like Yarmouth gets.
around 13000 turn up for the eastern festival around 5000 for the sunday fixture the easter Monday and ladies night are also well supported,very few racecourses get 6 busy days like Yarmouth gets.
I have no worries about the future of Yarmouth if they did race this season and something went wrong then that could cause problems.
when they closed the stand at bath all the doom and gloom merchants said that would be the end it wasn't.
hello flashI have no worries about the future of Yarmouth if they did race this season and something went wrong then that could cause problems.when they closed the stand at bath all the doom and gloom merchants said that would be the end it wasn't.
Geoff Lester on The Sunday Forum hinted that Yarmouth and Bath will be ARC's next closures and Chepstow will go all jumps. I can see nothing that would digress from that plan, and can see the outstanding fixtures being accommodated at Newcastle and wherever else they choose to create havoc.
Geoff Lester on The Sunday Forum hinted that Yarmouth and Bath will be ARC's next closures and Chepstow will go all jumps. I can see nothing that would digress from that plan, and can see the outstanding fixtures being accommodated at Newcastle and w
both bath and Yarmouth get very well supported fixtures Geoff lester has spent most of his life talking crap however I would have to agree with the idea of Chepstow going all national hunt as warwick has it would be a forward step.
both bath and Yarmouth get very well supported fixtures Geoff lester has spent most of his life talking crap however I would have to agree with the idea of Chepstow going all national hunt as warwick has it would be a forward step.
Too many gaff tracks have hardly improved facilities for decades. Racing is becoming increasingly insular, with only a few meetings having spectator appeal. Too much Class 5 and 6 dross. Small stables might like it, but the public don't.
Too many gaff tracks have hardly improved facilities for decades. Racing is becoming increasingly insular, with only a few meetings having spectator appeal. Too much Class 5 and 6 dross. Small stables might like it, but the public don't.
That's why I don't understand how Fontwell survives. ARC put on the biggest heap of filth in the world at this track and everyone flocks to watch the crp, especially on a Sunday.
That's why I don't understand how Fontwell survives. ARC put on the biggest heap of filth in the world at this track and everyone flocks to watch the crp, especially on a Sunday.
arc spent a lot of money on the new stand at fontwell which ironically the funds were borrowed at a very low rate from the bha or whoever then ran racing.fontwell do make a great effort to get people threw the gates although they have made a huge rick switching ladies night from august to may.
jmdc a good description of folkestonearc spent a lot of money on the new stand at fontwell which ironically the funds were borrowed at a very low rate from the bha or whoever then ran racing.fontwell do make a great effort to get people threw the gat
But, on a seven race card we typically get one grade three (THE BIG RACE), two grade fours, three grade fives and/or another five or a six (the bumper)! When I used to go there the quality was reasonably high - now it's a heap of selling-class sht!
But, on a seven race card we typically get one grade three (THE BIG RACE), two grade fours, three grade fives and/or another five or a six (the bumper)! When I used to go there the quality was reasonably high - now it's a heap of selling-class sht!
That's why I like Worcester. They try to put on proper conditions races and get good races in return. I still preferred today's 3 runner novice chase to a poor novice handicap full of 100 rated hurdlers.
That's why I like Worcester. They try to put on proper conditions races and get good races in return. I still preferred today's 3 runner novice chase to a poor novice handicap full of 100 rated hurdlers.
love Worcester thank good its on a flood place because these Rueben brothers would have closed it down a long time ago,when Worcester use to race in the winter they had the Worcester novice chase the likes of captain dibble,see more Indians,and barton bank won the race,since they stopped winter racing the race is now run at the hennesy meeting.the Worcester bumpers can produce good horses black jack ketcham made his debut there one summers night.
love Worcester thank good its on a flood place because these Rueben brothers would have closed it down a long time ago,when Worcester use to race in the winter they had the Worcester novice chase the likes of captain dibble,see more Indians,and barto
I do prefer the national hunt jmdc I spend a lot of the winter going but I do like the top flat racing, royal ascot,the guineas meeting and the autumn fixtures on the Rowley mile are all fantastic fixtures.
I do prefer the national hunt jmdc I spend a lot of the winter going but I do like the top flat racing, royal ascot,the guineas meeting and the autumn fixtures on the Rowley mile are all fantastic fixtures.
they should have had it seeded last year ,was always going to happen
they blame the dry weather but they must have had a watering system set up ?
Said from the start there was no chance of racing this year ,so no surprise tbh
they should have had it seeded last year ,was always going to happen they blame the dry weather but they must have had a watering system set up ? Said from the start there was no chance of racing this year ,so no surprise tbh