Racing:Today's Gold Cup race at Punchestown has been postponed due to the stormy conditions at the racetrack and will now be run on Saturday at the Co Kildare track. The Guinness Chase also fell foul of the weather and is also rescheduled for Saturday's card.
Doubt hung over today's card until after 1pm and racegoers were asked to remain in their cars until the inspection of the track and grounds had concluded.
Shortly afterwards, racecourse spokeswoman Shona Dreaper said the races would go ahead but the chases would be abandoned as the chase track was waterlogged.
The first race - the Martinstown Handicap Hurdle - will go to post at 4.55pm and the final race will be ran at 7.15pm.
Ms Dreaper said the tented shopping village and one public bar was closed at this stage but 1,200 hospitality guests had arrived and members of the public were making their way into the grounds. She said these areas may reopen later if the weather improves.
Dreaper said: “A designated route has been planned through the enclosures to get 1,200 hospitality guests to their destinations. The shopping village will be closed initially, but could be opened later, and all other members of the public are going into the grandstand.”
The Turf Club later confirmed that an inspection of the track took place involving clerk of the course Brendan Sheridan, racing manager Richie Galway and jockey Ruby Walsh. The statement pointed out that a total of 15 millimetres of rain had fallen on the course today with the going now heavy.
Officials later announced they would stage an 8am inspection tomorrow morning to assess the prospects of racing going ahead on Thursday.
Saturday is now set to have an eight-race card including the rescheduled Gold Cup at 4.25pm. The Grade One contest will be reopened. The Guinness Chase will be run on Saturday at 5pm.
After walking the course himself, leading jockey Walsh declared himself happy to ride during Wednesday’s shortened card.
“It’s gusty, but it’s grand,” he told At The Races. “There is too much water laying in front of too many fences on the chase course.
“You would have had to omit at least three of the last four and probably two more. In all fairness you can’t have a Grade One steeplechase and only jump seven fences. The wind will make it tough, but the tougher horses will win.
“If this was the middle of December or January or February, you wouldn’t even be thinking about it. You’d just get on with it.
“The fact that it’s April, you’re thinking ‘what’s all this about’, but the wind is due to die down shortly after 3pm, so we should be okay.
