Racing: Addington mares' feature will go ahead

Addington bosses have rescheduled the $40,000 Mares Championship to ensure the group two feature is not lost to the industry after Friday night's track debacle.

The last four races at Addington were abandoned after persistent light rain made the track so boggy drivers complained it was unsafe because they could not see.

That makes a mockery of Addington's all-weather track status but the man in charge says there was nothing his club could do.

"Contrary to what some trainers are saying the track was not conditioned on Thursday," says Addington head Shane Gloury.

"Our track manager John Denton is the track adviser for the whole South Island and he definitely didn't condition the track to make it looser.

"He put some extra grit on it Friday morning and he assures me had that not been there we would have had to abandon earlier on Friday night."

Gloury said the nature of the light rain which fell for seven hours before the meeting was the most contributing factor to the poor condition of the surface. "It was very light rain and sat on top of the track, we would have been better off had it rained harder and penetrated more."

The partial abandonment forced a cancellation of all Pick6 bets and will eventually cost Addington between $5000-$10,000 said Gloury.

The connections of horses who were taken to the track but whose races were abandoned will be paid a $100 flat compensation.

"That is not an admission of any liability from us, merely a goodwill gesture."

The $40,000 mares feature was the biggest race lost and will now be held on February 18.

"That is the best, and really only date for it," explains Gloury.

"Our biggest mares race is on February 12 so this is only six days later and that should ensure the same horses who were aiming at both races can still go around.

"And it gives mares who want to go to the Auckland Cup carnival 15 days between our race and that meeting."

Meanwhile, New Zealand will be without an Interdominion trotting representative for the first time in decades when the series kicks off in Victoria on Saturday. With Stig and One Over Kenny injured, no other Kiwi trotters were deemed good or fit enough by connections to take on the superstar Chris Lang-trained pair of Skyvalley and Sundon's Gift.

That pair are now equal favourites for the final on February 6, after Sundon's Gift beat high-class opponents at Shepparton on Saturday night.

We will have two Victoria Derby hopes, with Courage To Rule confirming his spot alongside Sir Lincoln by winning at Alexandra Park on Thursday night.

Bettor's Strike moved closer to favouritism for the A$400,000 Hunter Cup on Saturday week when he won a lowly free-for-all in a very fast time on Friday night.

TRACK DEBACLE
* The last four races at Addington on Friday night were abandoned because of track conditions.
* Addington bosses say there was nothing that could be done.
* The $40,000 mares' feature has been rescheduled to February 18.