Damage to limited areas of the racing surface at Chepstow caused by nematode activity has forced the abandonment of the 25 July fixture, which has been transferred to Lingfield Park.
Having been contacted yesterday by the Racecourse Executive at Chepstow, Senior Inspector of Course Richard Linley today visited Chepstow and it was agreed that in the interests of the safety of horses and riders the fixture on 25 July should be transferred to another racecourse.
BHA will now work with the racecourse to address the issue affecting the track. Depending on the progress of this work decisions will be made in due course about the further forthcoming fixtures at Chepstow.
The original races at Chepstow have been abandoned and the new races, which will be run on the All-Weather track at Lingfield Park, will closely resemble those originally programmed, except for necessary alterations to distance, safety factor and weights. However, the races will now close at noon on Monday, 21 July.
Jim Allen, Racing Director at Arena Racing Company, said:
“Whilst the issue has been identified in its early stages there are small areas of track where the turf has become unstable and so it is in the best interests of horses and riders that the fixture is transferred. We have worked with BHA to transfer the fixture to Lingfield Park and apologise for the inconvenience this may course horsemen. Anyone with questions about the rearranged fixture should contact Lingfield Park’s Clerk of the Course, Neil Mackenzie Ross.
“Work is already underway to ensure the turf at Chepstow is repaired so racing can resume as soon as possible.”
Full race conditions can be found on the Racing Admin website under Fixtures and Races.
For further details, please contact:
Kate Hills, Director of Public Relations, Arena Racing Company (ARC)
07813 947 201
Neil Mackenzie Ross, Clerk of the Course at Lingfield Park
07917 326 977
Mike Waring, BHA Deputy Racing Manager
020 7152 0056
Notes to Editors:
1. Nematodes are microscopic organisms that feed on the roots of plants. They are present in a range of environments and can cause an issue to racing surfaces due to the instability they cause through their activity.
Nematodes were last present at Chepstow in 2010. Since then the racecourse has sprayed once a month with a turf conditioner to promote healthy, strong roots, which along with regular fertilising, aims to provide a healthy sward.
Despite these efforts unusual nematode activity was identified this week and now remedial action is underway to renovate the affected areas. This includes mowing, harrowing and re-seeding.
