These scenes from the 2015 Wanganui Cup day were not repeated on Saturday as wet weather saw the abandoning of the event after Race 1.
The 2016 Civics@Cambridge Thoroughbred Lodge Wanganui Cup will not have a new owner until at least June 2017 after the cloud burst just after Race 1 saw the 9-race card abandoned on Saturday.
Despite conditions improving slightly later in the afternoon, the stewards had already made the decision not to
carry on with the event in the interests of horse and jockey safety after rain set in around 12.30pm.
The call was made after a track inspection including jockeys, trainers, and officials of the Wanganui Jockey Club.
Festivities continued for guests in the function rooms for their 'Christmas at the Races' dinners and drinks, while the Eulogy Lounge rapidly filled with young people to listen to the band, but trackside it was all quiet.
"There was a shower of rain about 10 minutes before the first and [jockey] Chris Dell said his mount slipped and Robert Hannam said his mount did as well near the 800m mark," stipendiary steward Brady Jones told the NZ Racing Desk.
