The One and only! Clairwood was good for one race today. Seriously!
Let’s not mince our words. Gross incompetence on the part of the racing operator’s management. That is the only way of describing the debacle of the abandoned meeting under beautiful sunshine filled blue skies at Clairwood today.
The first race was run and won by the fancied Reign As Kings with Anthony Delpech in the saddle. The veteran rider did not hide his anger and frustration with the shocking racing surface in the post-race interview. Well said Anthony! And that was the end of the race meeting.
The announcement that came at 13h35 from on course commentator Craig Peters was clear: Following a protest by the jockeys after the first race, the panel have decided to call off the rest of the meeting today. It is up to the racing operator to decide whether the meeting will be held at a later time.
The Clairwood track surface is simply sub-standard and an insult to trainers, owners and the jockeys who are expected to risk life and limb earning their living. Loose sand and grass lie on the surface and there are sand patches everywhere. Kimberley looks softer and the Garden Course has deteriorated into the Gardening Course. But it is not funny.
As one trainer told us today:” Enough is enough – it is a disgrace and an embarrassment to South African horseracing at large.”
Recent meetings held on the disgraceful Clairwood track have resulted in two horses being euthenased, allegedly as a result of injuries sustained while galloping on the surface.
The worst thing is that Gold Circle management have known for a long time that the Clairwood track has been in a poor condition and extra precautionary proactive action should surely have been the order of the day, rather than the bungling unprofessionalism that has come to the fore this afternoon.
Meetings have even been moved to Scottsville to allow time for rehabilitation. But it appears to have helped none. The question begs: What was the track manager thinking –if anything- when he considered his handiwork earlier today?
We have been exposed in the recent past to, amongst other things, incorrectly configured rails on big days and life threatening stakes and rakes left on tracks during the running of races. But this takes the proverbial chocolate cake. A sorry waste. And what happens if this happens on Met day?
Giant Step. The Moon would be a safer place to race than Clairwood.
In South African horseracing’s biggest week, we have the world watching and visiting. The industry is wining and dining investors and sweetly demanding that they fork out top dollar. Breeders and the industry’s major players have invested millions in the Cape Premier Yearling sale – billed as the biggest and best quality Sale ever held on African soil. Yet we have to deal with this patent third world incompetence. It would be safer going racing on the Moon.
Gold Circle owe all stakeholders a straightforward no-strings attached explanation and clarity on the following:
1.Are tracks inspected prior to meetings as a matter of routine process?
2.Is the Clairwood track manager in particular, and all others countrywide, competent and qualified to perform their basic duties?
3.How will owners, trainers , jockeys, grooms and other staff be compensated financially?
4. An undertaking to suspend all racing at Clairwood until further notice.
5. A commitment to launch an independent commission of enquiry to investigate what happened today and to ensure that, for once and for all, disciplinary action is taken against the structures and officials responsible.
Scary thought is that on 5 February we are supposed to race at Clairwood, with the UmThombothi Stakes (non black type) the feature. Then again on 12 February the Scottsville meet featuring the Marula Sprint has been moved to Clairwood. Then in a real Valentine’s Day scoop, the Scottsville meet has also been shifted to Clairwood. Love conquers all?
The public and stakeholders are entitled to assurances that corrective action is implemented and that such bizarre incidents will be avoided in future. Otherwise we may as well close the doors of the Cape Town Convention Centre before the sale begins and rather start breeding and raising goats.
Footnote: Let’s give credit where it’s due: Gold Circle issued this press release shortly after the meeting was abandoned. Some positive may yet flow from the embarassment!
Whilst there have been on going problems with certain sections of the course, mainly due to an infestation of goose grass, the race track was declared raceable by officials of Gold Circle and the NHRA following inspections during the course of last week and again on Monday and Tuesday.
“It is worrying that the affected turf at Clairwood has not satisfactorily responded to treatment as a consequence of the very dry, hot and windy conditions that prevailed for the first three weeks of January and clearly we are going to have to tackle the problem from another direction,” said Racing Director Graeme Hawkins.
A full enquiry will be conducted into all of the circumstances which led to the jockeys’ protest after the running of the first race.
