Navan abandoned Navan has been abandoned after just four races today due to safety concerns regarding ground conditions. A deputation of senior jockeys including Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty and Robbie Power met with Clerk Of the Course Paddy Graffin before the 3.25 race, the Albany Hurdle, over their concerns regarding parts of the track on the bend before the back straight and approaching the home straight. A number of riders had reported their mounts to be slipping in the first four races and following consultation, the meeting was abandoned in the interests of safety. Leading trainer and local Noel Meade, formerly a director at the track, stated “what happened was the ground got very firm during the dry summer and they watered the ground to get as it as good as they could. However what happened was the water just penetrated the top two inches and then we'd a shower of rain today. “Under that the ground it is very firm so they were knocking the top off it and just sliding. Practically every horse was slipping on that bend past the stands and on the bend up the top and it was getting worse not better as the day went on. “I would have thought for everybody's sake, horses and jockeys, it wasn't safe and I don't think it was that difficult a call to make really.” He added “Of course it will be ok soon but all we need is just a bit more rain to come.” Clerk Of The Course Paddy Graffin said, “Normally the more you race on watered ground the safer it gets but on this occasion the top few of lovely ground was being seared away and they were hitting rock-hard stuff underneath. “Davy Russell and Barry Geraghty came up to me after the first to say how pleased they were with the ground but unfortunately it got more slippy as the day went on. Ruby (Walsh) said to me after his winner in the fourth race that his mount didn’t slip but he could see plenty slipping inside him. “Under the guidelines we use the ground would have been unraceable if it wasn’t watered as firm ground is deemed unraceable for National Hunt racing. “We had the ground verti-drained with a spiking machine which allows water and air to get into the ground. “We’ve had a particularly dry summer and I have an obligation to water in order to make the ground safe. “It is obviously a concern looking ahead as we have lots of big races here between now and Christmas, and I would love to see lots of rain. “I suggested to the riders that we inspect the course, and I believe this was the sensible decision. I’m not one to take chances.” TW & AM
