St Simon and Horris Hill moved to Newmarket after Newbury abandonment The St Simon and Horris Hill Stakes have been rescheduled to take place at Newmarket next week following the abandonment of Saturday’s meeting at Newbury. With Friday’s Newbury card already called off due to a waterlogged track, clerk of the course George Hill called an inspection for 8am to assess the prospects of Saturday’s meeting, due to feature two Group Thee contests, going ahead. But following another 13mm of rain overnight and more forecast over the next 24 hours, Hill was left with little option but to call off proceedings. He said: “We were hoping the forecast might improve, but if anything the forecast for Saturday has got worse to be honest, so it’s disappointing. “We’ve had over 50mm of rain in kind of four days, so it’s taken its toll unfortunately.” Newbury Focus Shifts To National Hunt Return With Newbury’s Flat season now over, Hill and his team will begin preparing for the first National Hunt meeting of the autumn on Thursday, November 5. “The jumps track will appreciate the rain at least,” he added. “There’s obviously still some work to do after a very dry summer. The Flat track is irrigated all summer and the jumps track isn’t until August.” Newmarket Steps In For Rescheduled Stakes The British Horseracing Authority have confirmed the St Simon Stakes will now be contested at Newmarket on Friday (October 30) for a prize fund totalling £75,000, with the Horris Hill also taking place on the Rowley Mile the following afternoon (Saturday, October 31), with a total of £50,000 up for grabs. The Horris Hill will also be changed from a colts and geldings racing to all-sex. This accounts for the loss of the Listed Radley Stakes from Newbury’s fixture, a race for fillies over the same trip as the Horris Hill. A BHA statement read: “The BHA is grateful to The Jockey Club for agreeing to add the two races to their cards at the Rowley Mile next week and to the Horserace Betting Levy Board for their contribution to the total prize fund.”
