Well just another way for a race meeting to be cancelled, first kangaroos at Hanging Rock, and now rabbits at Elwick
Rogue rabbit halts racing at Elwick racecourse in Tasmania The Mercury
January 17, 2012
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2012/01/17/293051_tasmania-news.htmlA ROGUE rabbit is believed to be responsible for a pair of holes at Elwick racecourse that have raised doubts about the effectiveness of $30 million in taxpayer-funded upgrades and cast a cloud over the Summer Racing Carnival.
Neither gallops track at the Hobart racecourse is fit for racing.
Tasracing acting chief executive Eliot Forbes said closer inspection of the holes had revealed they were likely caused by a rabbit and not failed drainage works as first suspected.
Seven races at Sunday's meeting were postponed after a horse in the second race put a foot down one of the holes.
"Tasracing staff are checking the integrity of the nearby drains on the inside track and will be implementing an animal control plan this week subject to contractor availability," Mr Forbes said.
But attempts to hold the postponed races today were abandoned late yesterday when it was discovered the outer track is also not fit for racing.
Tasmanian Jockeys' Association general manager Kevin Ring said the holes had been discovered near the 1000m mark on Saturday night, the chief steward had been informed and the holes were marked with a flag.
But they were not noticed in track inspections on Sunday morning and dirt and gravel surrounding them had disappeared.
Mr Ring said the main outer track was in no state for racing ahead of the upcoming Hobart Cup.
"God knows when it was last watered. The back straight is completely dry," he said in a letter to Mr Forbes yesterday.
Tasmanian Thoroughbred Racing Club chairman Geoff Harper said he could not believe the holes had been missed in track inspections, particularly after it had been reported.
"They have been told consistently that rabbits at Elwick are a problem," he said.
"We have no confidence in the administration of racing."
Opposition racing minister Mark Shelton said the ongoing problems at Elwick were a fiasco.
"Tasmanian taxpayers have poured $30 million into recent upgrades at the track and to now see events cancelled highlights the absolute incompetence of the Green-Labor Government," he said.
"It is time that Racing Minister Bryan Green took responsibility for what is the latest in a string of costly debacles at Elwick."
Mr Green will meet Tasracing today.
with DAMIEN SEATON
