The prediction of wild weather in North Otago has put Sunday’s Oamaru Cup meeting in doubt.
Niwa is predicting the region could be hit with up to 200mm of rain in the lead-up to the meeting.
That has put racing officials on weather watch during the later part of this week.
The Oamaru track is already wet and rated heavy11 and if the predicted storm hits at full force, Sunday’s meeting could be in jeopardy, stipendiary steward Mark Davidson said.
It was too early to say whether the meeting would be rescheduled, like last week’s Forbury Park trots, which were moved on the back of heavy snow, Davidson said when he spoke to the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
After a wet two weeks, the Oamaru track had already taken on a lot of water and any more would result in flooding, racecourse manager Greg Stuart said. The course’s water table was "full to the brim" and surrounding areas had already had some flooding, he said.
Stuart would be consistently monitoring the track before Sunday’s meeting and working with the club’s officials and stipendiary stewards, who would make a call on the meeting’s fate. Trainer Kelvin Tyler, who has his team based at the Oamaru course, described the course proper as a typical heavy track yesterday.
However, if the predicted rain did arrive, the meeting would be in huge doubt, he said.
- Jonny Turner
