The thoroughbred racing industry's horror start to 2018 keeps getting worse.
Saturday's popular Kumara Gold Nuggets race day, on the West Coast, has been abandoned.
The decision to call of the races was made this morning after heavy rain drenched the Kumara track.
"The region has experienced 200ml rainfall since Tuesday 9 January and further heavy rain is forecast today and tomorrow," New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing said in a statement.
A number of Otago and Southland based trainers and jockeys were set to compete at the meeting.
They are now facing the expense of travelling to the West Coast's three day New Year's circuit and barely having the opportunity to race.
Only one of three meetings was completed when racing was held at Otomo on Sunday.
Yesterday's Hokitika meeting was also cancelled on the back of heavy rain.
Today's abandonment announcement means eight thoroughbred race meetings have been either partly or fully abandoned since the start of 2018.
The horror start to the racing season prompted a crisis meeting of thoroughbred racing officials, yesterday.
The meeting which included representatives from the NZ Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), the Racing Integrity Unit (RIU), the NZ Trainers Association, the NZ Jockeys Association, resolved to make procedural changes to lessen the impact of abandoned race days.
"Every lost meeting is a cost to our industry we simply can't afford.
This includes the loss of stakes to owners to the costs of transporting horses and wages for staff for days with little or no racing," NZTR CEO, Bernard Saundry said.
"Yesterday's meeting was productive, and it was heartening to see a high level of engagement from everyone as we worked together to discuss these issues."
