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Heavy rains and surface flooding have forced the cancellation of today’s Omakau jogging in central Otago.
Officials were forced to suspend the meeting, which they hoped would draw up to 8,000 people, when the racecourse and surrounding areas were flooded.
Central Otago Trotting Club President Graham Sinnamon had to make the difficult decision to cancel today’s popular race day after monitoring the track overnight.
“Head to heart – it was a horrible decision,” he said.
At 3am this morning, Sinnamon was monitoring the weather websites and keeping an eye on the condition of the track.
“It became clear overnight that the rain was going to be a lot more than we expected.”
Sinnamon inspected the track early this morning with Racing Integrity Unit officer Nigel McIntyre, and that’s when the call was made to cancel the races.
“There is water by the stable block, where the vendors would be and behind the administration block.
“It’s so ironic that we are in a total fire ban.”
It seems unlikely that today’s race will be run again in the foreseeable future.
The Central Otago Trotting Club will explore the option, but is now focusing on riders who had traveled to Omakau before the races and were staying on the race track.
“That is a decision for later at this point,” Sinnamon said.
“Later today, the committee will sit down and discuss what our options might be.
“But of course that will have to do with Harness Racing New Zealand.”
“Our main objective at the moment is to keep the people we have here dry and well cared for.”
The club is also busy spreading the message of today’s cancellation to a crowd hoping to reach 8,000.
Sinnamon said the club had worked with several tour operators in hopes of drawing a crowd of “8,000 to 9,000.”
