The final two races at Goodwood were abruptly abandoned after just 20 minutes of rain, leaving fans furious over the sudden decision. The abandonment occurred after the 16:30 Fitzdares Offers Bespoke Bets Handicap and the 17:05 Fitzdares Telephone and Text Betting Service Handicap were deemed unsafe due to slippery track conditions.
Six races had been completed before the weather turned. Clerk of the course Ed Arkell noted that prior to the rain, the ground conditions had been satisfactory. However, a heavy shower caused three horses to slip in the pull-up area, prompting officials to make the difficult decision.
Fans expressed their anger regarding the timing of the cancellation, emphasizing that only 20 minutes of rain had fallen before officials deemed it unsafe to continue racing. A Racing TV commentator confirmed that this was indeed a safety precaution due to the pull-up area being too slippery.
In a statement, Goodwood racecourse announced that all bars would remain open despite the cancellation of racing. This decision aims to provide some level of comfort for attendees who were looking forward to the final races of Glorious Goodwood.
This incident marks the second disruption at Goodwood in eight months, following a previous delay caused by a serious car crash near the track. Officials have not disclosed if any additional measures will be taken in response to this latest event.
