The Magic Millions race day on the Gold Coast was stopped after jockeys conducted a secret ballot to decide if the conditions were safe enough to continue.
Fourteen millimetres of rain had fallen on Saturday resulting in the track becoming unsuitable after two races were run on the ten-race card.
Racing Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell confirmed that the remaining eight races, including $2 million Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) and Magic Millions 3yo Guineas (1400m), would be run on Thursday at Gold Coast.
“We want to give the track time to recover and with showers forecast on Monday and Tuesday, there was no guarantee that we have a suitable track by Wednesday,” Parnell said.
“So we thought that Thursday was the best option.”
Parnell added that transferring the meeting to another track was considered but the iconic nature of Magic Millions and the Gold Coast Turf Club should remain intact.
Misty, soaking rain through Saturday morning and the early part of the afternoon had penetrated the turf profile which compromised visibility from the jockeys’ perspective led to the decision, he added.
“The safety of riders is paramount, and they were having trouble with visibility,” he said.
Prior to the first race being run, and the again after it, jockeys inspected the track along with Racing Queensland officials and chose to decide their course of action on a race-by-race basis.
The trigger point was reached when James Mcdonald reported that his mount Desperately slipped on the home turn when racing towards the rear of the field.
Following the running of the first race, the $500,000 Magic Millions Country Cup (1200m) won by the Cody Morgan-trained Ezekeil, jockeys’ representative Larry Cassidy said the group was divided as to how unsafe the conditions were and whether the meeting should proceed on the Heavy 10-rated surface.
The majority then swayed with the ballot and, with the agreement of raceday stewards, the decision was made to call the meeting off.
Trainer Chris Waller agreed throughout that safety was the priority at all stages of the shortened meeting while Tony Gollan was also relieved that the meeting hadn’t gone ahead any further.
“The weather was making for a tricky day and just with the changing of the track, and some areas wetter than others, it wasn’t making for a uniform surface and that is what we don’t like,” Gollan said.
“It is what the horses and riders don’t like as well.”
Renovations on the Gold Coast track were to begin on Monday but will now be delayed.