Extreme heat

The BHA has cancelled four fixtures in Britain on Wednesday after a rare red weather warning for extreme heat was issued by the Met Office on Monday.

Meetings scheduled for Kempton, Salisbury, Worcester and Ffos Las will no longer take place. Racing is still set to go ahead at Carlisle, while there is also a fixture at Naas in Ireland.

The red weather warning, which the Met Office said would likely result in "significant disruption to daily life" with temperatures potentially reaching 40C, covers the south of England and parts of Wales from 1am on Wednesday until 11pm on Thursday. Amber warnings remain in place for Monday and Tuesday.

The BHA said its hot weather policy dictates fixtures falling in a red warning zone must be cancelled. While Ffos Las is just outside, the BHA added that as horses must not be travelled from, or through, red zones to race it meant the fixture could not go ahead.

The BHA continued: "We will continue to liaise with racecourses hosting fixtures in amber warning zones this week to consider any further mitigations that may be needed. Each fixture will be managed on a case-by-case basis, with several factors considered according to the local weather forecast and environmental conditions.

"Trainers are reminded that horses should not be moved from or through any areas where red heat warnings are in place."


Nottingham's six-race card on Thursday was due to start at 2.13pm, but with temperatures expected to reach up to 34C and an amber weather warning in place, the meeting will be brought forward, with the first race now starting at 10.30am.

Clerk of the course Paul Barker said: "We were monitoring temperatures last week, and Wednesday looked to show peak temperatures, but that has since changed and Thursday is looking just as hot as Wednesday, if not warmer in certain parts of the country.

"To avoid less travel time in the heat, both coming and going to the track, moving the race times was a better option. We've been in touch with the BHA and other parties about this."

Extra measures will be in place at Nottingham, while the 1m6f handicap – the longest race of the day – has been brought forward to the first race.

Barker added: "We'll have additional teams in the pre-parade ring, parade ring and stables, to help the staff there. We'll have more water available and fans to help cool horses down, while we've made sure the longer races on the card will be run earlier.

"We're doing everything we feel we can to support both horse and human wellbeing."

An amber warning is in place at Newbury on Tuesday for its evening card, which begins at 5.17pm, and clerk of the course George Hill said: "We've got a red warning on Wednesday and Thursday, so it gets hotter as the week goes on, while we're expecting warm conditions on Tuesday.

"We've put on extra watering stations and we'll reduce time spent in the parade rings and pre-parade rings to help. We're racing in the evening, but it'll still be very warm, and we've got extra staff available and a full veterinary team on hand."

Move them up here, it's a scorching 15 degrees here today

Thursday looks just as bad, maybe Newcastle and Hamilton are ok, but expect Newmarket Leicester and Nottingham to be cancelled (observation: Leicester and Nottingham racing on same day, crackpot scheduling).

Lucky heatwave didn't appear a week earlier, would have been Royal Ascot panic stations.

I don't think animals should be made to give their all in hot weather.
A lot of dog owners even swerve a walk in the sun on a very hot day,
forcing an animal to run as fast as it can is not desirable imo.
Just my view, I accept that we are all different.

I didn't know that, my brother just doesn't like to see his dog panting like hell when they get home.

Surprise horseboxes without aircon are still allowed.

Let's be honest, the primary consideration is that the humans don't really fancy it. I don't blame them, but plenty of people don't have the luxury of ducking work if it's a bit hot.

I doubt a self employed person would like to postpone. But unlike a race horse,
he has a choice, and can work at a slower pace than normal.

They will never cancel Carlisle for hot weather

It's hot, he can adapt a little, with refreshments to hand.
He won't be whipped to work as fast as possible.

I have a few Kopparbergs in the fridge.

undrinkable sh1te. full of sugar and more like an alcopop

better pouring it over his melon

and westons isnt the best but its widely available and reliable for a non-scrumpy

Glasgow, the weather is:
taps oan
Taps-Aff (Scots Vernacular) Literally "tops off." The removing of one's shirt in the event of warm weather, a phenomenon rarely seen in Glasgow. Now an expression describing good times being had.1

Antonym: Taps-Oan, "tops on".
Current Weather: Pish (Light rain)
Temperature: 17°C (63°F)

   

Yes. Play ended early at Taunton with rain falling.

The Met Office are going to love these cancellations. Will just encourage them to keep the whole country under a permanent Red warning.

The thoroughbred's ancestors evolved in the Middle East - the Godolphin Arabian, the Darley Arabian and the Byerley Turk. Temperatures in the mid-thirties are not a problem, once they have their summer coats. See 1976 and 2003.

Lockdown gave people a taste for not working. If there is a policy that racing is cancelled by default with a red warning, I'd be surprised enough if that policy was in place before 2020.

I'm not that old, and the thought of school being cancelled or being let off work due to weather would have been an anathema. We definitely went to school on the morning of the great storm, hopping over the trees and debris.

is it not possible to have some sort of walk-through water system similar to the temporary pools people have in their garden?

like that used in stables where horses swim. just walk em through post-race. save on water also as well being more effective

maybe just bollox. i dunno