Racing abandoned at Ellerslie today

The Auckland Racing Club has abandoned today's race meeting at Ellerslie, the first time in years a meeting's been cancelled before it even started.

The abandonment's been brought about by a large number of horses being withdrawn from the day's card.

The track at Ellerslie is very heavy due to an unseasonably large amount of rainfall in Auckland over the past week.

Trainers have decided in most cases it wasn't worth risking their charges having a run on a slushy and potentially dangerous track.

ARC Chief Executive Dave Lloyd said he can't remember the last time a meeting had to be abandoned.

"On millennium day back in January 2000 we had to pull the plug after five races on the card.

"But it would be at least ten years ago since we've had to make a decision to abandon a race day completely."

He said in some cases race fields were decimated - down to just four or five starters.

"In the worst case, we were left with just two horses in one race", he said this morning.

"I reckon even I could get the quinella in that one", he joked.

Mr Lloyd estimates that going ahead with the meeting, in light of the startlingly low number of acceptances, would have cost the club in the vicinity of $80,000.

"It simply wasn't viable to proceed", he said.