adminAugustine Hwata Sports Reporter
THE MOTA Ipi Tombe Stakes meeting that had seven races carded was abandoned yesterday at Borrowdale racecourse due to water logged track that posed a risk to the jockeys and the horses.
The Ipi Tombe meeting is held in honour of the great filly Ipi Tombe that won 12 of her 14 starts and is considered one of the greatest horses ever bred in Zimbabwe.
Coming as Race Seven, the Hyundai Ipi Tombe Stakes had seen 10 runners accepting to run the 1 600m for the US$14 000 in stakes.
The race was supposed to be second leg of the Open Series but all events on the card were called off in the morning by the MTC after an inspection of the track.
In statement, MTC racing manager Robson Chinamasa said the heavy rains that fell made some sections of the track slippery and therefore unsafe for racing.
“Please be advised that a decision has been made after the 10am course inspection at Borrowdale racecourse, to abandon the race meeting, on Sunday, 9 February 2014 due to unsafe going.
“The course has received 135mm in the past week, 46mm having been received in the past 48 hours.
“This has made the going heavy in some sections of the race course making it unsafe for racing,” said Chinamasa.
Among the horses that had been lined up for the feature race where Alula Borelis (1) by Lisa Harris, Captain’s Tiger and the five-year old bare gelding Madigan.
Chinamasa said the MTC will be meeting this week to decide the fate of the cancelled rate.
Online Reporter