Horses returning to the parade ring after racing was abandoned before the 5th race at Cork© Photo Healy Racing
Racing at Cork was abandoned after four races due to waterlogging with 'Storm Betty' resulting in persistent heavy rain throughout the afternoon.
The eight-race card, which featured the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Give Thanks Stakes and also the Listed Platinum Stakes, was abandoned just before the fifth race with water visibly lying on parts of the track.
Rain started around lunchtime at the Mallow venue and got progressively heavier throughout the evening.
The going was officially described as Yielding, Good to Yielding in places for the first race (at 4.15pm) but was soon changed to Soft after the opener.
Another going change to Soft to Heavy was announced after the Platinum Stakes (Race 3) and in turn to Heavy after the following Give Thanks Stakes.
Clerk of the Course Paul Moloney said, “The sprint track is level but the round track has a few dips and in the space of half-an-hour the three dips that I walked had filled up with water. It just wasn’t safe.
“Some of the riders had concerns after three races and we were monitoring the situation. I had informed the stewards after Race 4 that they were happy to go and ride in Race 5.
“However, conditions had deteriorated and myself and the course foreman walked down the track and it was obvious it was not safe enough to carry on. It was waterlogged.”
Seamie Heffernan, who finished second aboard Library in the ‘Give Thanks’ and was also due to ride in the following maiden said, “It got a lot worse since the previous race.” Clever And Cool relished the conditions to record a wide-margin win in the Platinum Stakes, while Term Of Endearment galloped on strongly to land the Group 3 feature.
