IT IS always the enemy of the punter, but heavy rain usually only changes ground conditions and renders form redundant, not wipe out entire meetings for days on end as is happening at the moment.
Yesterday's two big meetings in Britain and Ireland both fell victim to the incessant rain. Haydock and Leopardstown respectively were due to feature two Group 1 races, the Betfred Sprint Cup and the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes. Both w
ere called off early after morning inspections.
The Irish track will now try to hold a meeting with an eight-race card today, with the Champion Stakes off at 3.50pm, but the event is subject to a 7.30am precautionary inspection.
"We nearly made it over the line today but we've had to call off the meeting," said Leopardstown general manager Tom Burke yesterday. "We had over 6mm of rain last night, but the forecast is not too bad. We have called a precautionary inspection, but we would be optimistic at this stage."
Other courses have been similarly affected. Yesterday's meetings at Thirsk and Stratford were called off, leaving only the all-weather events at Kempton and Wolverhampton to slake the punters' thirsts.
Today's meeting at Worcester was called off yesterday, with the River Severn set to burst its banks and flood the track yet again. Fontwell's jumps meeting is still on, but tomorrow's fixture at Newcastle has already been called off after Gosforth Park was hit by more than 60mm of rainfall.
The monsoon has already claimed a victim later in the week as Chepstow's Thursday meeting is already off due to the saturation of the track. Northern Racing, owners of Chepstow, have transferred the meeting to Brighton.
The message to punters is to keep a weather eye open for inspections, and with the ground varying day by day, it may be better to start sticking pins than reading form.
If today's Leopardstown meeting goes ahead, the conditions will be perfect for Epsom Derby winner New Approach to gain his revenge on the mighty Duke of Marmalade. In a re-match following the Juddmonte International at Newmarket a fortnight ago, New Approach will be heavily fancied this time to beat the older horse, who has form on soft but is much better on good ground.
New Approach's trainer Jim Bolger has been bullish about his colt's chances, though he, too, would not like the ground to be too soft. Aidan O'Brien has made no secret of his concerns about running the Duke on unsuitable ground, but the maestro of Ballydoyle could be wrong – unlikely, but possible.
If the ground is heavy, then New Approach is the call. Anything better than heavy and Duke of Marmalade should make it six Group 1 victories in a row – one short of Rock of Gibraltar's world-record run in 2001/02.
Earlier, the Group 1 Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes should be a match between O'Brien and Bolger again, this time in the shape of Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Halfwaytoheaven and Lush Lashes, who finished a head behind her in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood last month.
But both trainers fear the soft ground, while Scots-born Mark Johnston couldn't be happier as his Falmouth Stakes winner Nahoodh will enjoy the conditions. Worth an each-way punt.
Also threatening the Rock's record is O'Brien's brilliant three-year-old miler Henrythenavigator, who attempts to make it five Group 1s in succession in the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp. The Paris course has been relatively unaffected by rain, but if any falls before the off time of 3.20 then that could damage Henrythenavigator's chances.
Richard Hannon and Mark Johnston are sending over the improving Paco Boy and Lovelace respectively, but home hope Goldikova looks a bigger danger.
Hopefully the rain will not affect Doncaster's three-day Ladbrokes St Leger Festival, which starts on Thursday and could be supplemented by a rearranged version of the Sprint Cup.
Haydock managing director Dickon White said: "We have been in conversation with the BHA and Betfred and will hopefully be able to get the race on some time at Doncaster. It's a fantastic race, we want it to be raced, so fingers crossed we can do so."
Oaks heroine Look Here is set to take her chance in the Ladbrokes St Leger, the last of the season's Classics which takes place next Saturday. As regular jockey Seb Sanders is sidelined with a broken leg, Ralph Beckett's star filly will be ridden by Eddie Ahern.
Sir Michael Stoute is aiming to beat his Leger hoodoo, and has a formidable trio in Patkai, Conduit and Doctor Fremantle. Yet O'Brien has proven the Group 1 master this season and Irish Derby winner Frozen Fire should be the Stoute spoiler.
O'Brien's attention might forgivably not be on Doncaster, however, as he attempts to make yet more history on the same day at the Curragh. If his extraordinary stayer Yeats turns up, the rest of the runners in the Irish Field St Leger will be racing for second, and O'Brien will have achieved the unprecedented feat of saddling all five Irish Classic winners in one season.
If Henrythenavigator, Yeats and Frozen Fire all win, it really will be time to start talking of Aidan in the same tones as Vincent O'Brien. There is no higher accolade.
The full article contains 896 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
