Cup day abandoned

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.

"A number of other riders reported their mounts weren't happy in the ground and with no immediate remedy to the situation the decision was made to abandon the meeting.

"It will be up to NZTR if they reschedule the meeting."

However, WJC president Stu Watts said finding a reserve day would "probably not" happen.

"There's racing Thursday in New Plymouth, and Trentham on Saturday."

It was a shame for the local punters as "the track was perfect" leading up to midday Saturday, Watts said.

"Probably the Cambridge Thoroughbred Wanganui Cup will be on Queens Birthday weekend. That will be a big day."

At the time, Watts hoped the Christmas functions would still enjoy their afternoon, and there would be off-course betting for them on the Ellerslie races, which started at 3pm.

Many WJC staff showed their disappointment, but the decision was out of their hands.

The only winner on the day was the Margaret Cartwright-trained debutant Handsome Return, who was ridden by Masa Tanaka to the post in the Dave Hoskin Carriers Maiden 1340m.

The Wanganui Cup was the second race day abandoned within a week due to weather after the Cambridge Jockey Club's meeting at Te Rapa was called off before a race was run after strong winds blew over a large part of the running rail in the front straight.

That meeting was rescheduled to Sunday.