Chelmsford racing ABANDONED as fog causes havoc for second straight day with card cancelled due to ‘safety concerns’
CHELMSFORD racing was abandoned amid safety concerns as thick fog caused chaos for the second day in a row.
Punchestown had four races abandoned yesterday with vision down to almost nothing at the Irish track.
Punters could not believe racing was allowed to continue given the thick fog – and it had made its way to Chelmsford in Essex by early Monday afternoon.
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The scheduled 2.25 race over seven furlongs was delayed – and the prospect of a second abandonment looked a real possibility after that.
The first race – which took place at 1.50 – was run amid rapidly diminishing light, with the commentator having to describe the state of the race ‘when we last saw them’.
One fan said there was no way the rest of the card should take place.
They wrote on Twitter: “Are they loonies at Chelmsford? No way in any shape or form is that sport taking place.”
And just after 2.40pm the racing was officially called off with the safety of the runners and riders of paramount importance.
Clerk of the course Andy Waitt told RacingTV: “The decision was made between the jockeys, trainers and the staff walking the course.
“We had a look and conditions have worsened since we first went out.
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“The decision has been made on safety ground to abandon racing for the rest of the afternoon.
“The paramount thing is the safety of the jockeys and the horses, there is nothing that overrides that.
“The decision was made on those grounds.”
Seven races were still set to be run over the all-weather track when racing was canned for the day.
The conditions mirrored the almost farcical state of the coverage in Ireland on Sunday, where, due to the fog, the poor race commentator had no idea where the horses were for large portions of the race.
Famed Jerry Hannon tried his best to call the action as he saw it – the problem being he couldn’t.
At one stage he said: “I’m not overly sure of their current location at this point.
And as the runners came for home in the Grade 1 contest won by superstar Min, he said: “I think I can hear them coming down the home straight now.”
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