Frayed tempers and damning accusations were the order of the day at Scottsville yesterday after the meeting was abandoned before the running of the second race.

Trainers and jockeys expressed reservations on the state of the going before the meeting started in spite of the official rainfall reading of 9mm in the previous seven days and 3mm overnight.

These readings were in conflict with head track manager Tony Rivalland’s report of 51mm during the week, a more realistic reading given the week’s downpours.

The penetrometer reading was given at 31 with the going recorded as heavy.

After the barrier trial the jockeys confirmed reservations. “I ran into an arrester bed,” said former Champion Jockey Anton Marcus and Duncan Howells was quick to express his dissatisfaction with the state of the going to the stipendiary stewards.

However, the first race was run without incident with the favourite and second favourite finishing second and first respectively but the jockeys immediately lodged a protest stating inconsistent going. In his evidence, jockey spokesperson Warren Kennedy said that between the 500m mark and the 200m mark the going became inconsistent and unsafe.

After deliberations in the stipendiary steward’s boardroom, head stipe Shaun Parker called for a track inspection. A lengthy inspection of both the straight course and the track around the turn followed and it was decided to call the meeting off.

The official stipendiary stewards report reads: Following the running of the first race, the riders expressed concerns regarding inconsistencies in the heavy underfoot track condition and lodged a protest in terms of the rules. The panel was formed and having heard all the evidence presented by the trainer and jockey representatives and following a track inspection, it was decided in the interest of safety to abandon the remainder of the race meeting.

The KwaZulu-Natal Stakes (Listed), is an important warm-up for sprinting fillies leading into Champions Season, and yesterday was the second time it was abandoned because inclement weather.

However, in an effort to keep the meeting and run the race, Gold Circle are contemplating moving the eight races lost at Scottsville yesterday to Scottsville, Wednesday, April 18, weather permitting, and moving the Greyville poly meeting scheduled for that Wednesday to Friday night, April 20.

By Andrew Harrison