Stratford abandoned
Stratford have been forced to abandon next Monday’s National Hunt fixture due to flooding at the course.
After the River Avon burst its banks on Sunday, the track became submerged and excess water swept into many of the racecourse buildings.
Following consultation with a Horseracing Regulatory Authority Inspectorate, clerk of the course Stephen Lambert was forced to call the meeting off at this early stage.
He said: “We had a foot of water in most of the buildings yesterday. The water has now receded although the track itself is completely under water.
“I asked permission to abandon Monday’s meeting at the earliest opportunity because it always takes at least a week before the turf recovers its structure after a serious flood. We will also need to restore the track crossings which were swept away, as well as carry out remedial work on the buildings.
“Initial inspections reveal that the buildings may not be as badly damaged as first thought, and we should be fine for our next meeting on March 26.”
