Fairyhouse report:The majority of the most prestigious pre-Christmas race meeting will now be run at Fairyhouse on Wednesday following yesterday's storm-force winds that saw the cancellation of the winter festival after just two races.
Just one of the scheduled three Grade One highlights was run, the Bar-One Racing Royal Bond Novices Hurdle, but after Hide The Evidence's victory in that contest, the decision was taken to bow to the elements.
Four senior jockeys, Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty, Conor O'Dwyer and Paul Carberry, who had all ridden in one or both of the first two races, met with the stewards, who initially decided to postpone racing for half an hour in the hope the high winds might ease. But after just 20 minutes, and another look by the jockeys and stewards, it was announced racing had been abandoned.
"It was hopeless," explained the double Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle winner O'Dwyer. "The wind is pretty bad into your face at the top of Ballyhack but then you turn again down the side before the straight and you're blown sideways the whole way."
Geraghty agreed with his colleague and added: "The gusts as we were coming to the third last in the hurdle were terrible. It wasn't a case of us pushing the stewards. There really was no choice."
There was widespread agreement with that view as the gales, which were fierce enough to break RTÉ's live satellite link with the course and badly disrupted flight schedules at nearby Dublin airport, refused to loosen their grip.
Fairyhouse's general manager, Niall Mackey confirmed there would be free admission at the track on Wednesday and the two remaining Grade One races - the Hatton's Grace Hurdle and the Drinmore Chase, both sponsored by Ballymore Properties - would return to the final forfeit stage, including supplementaries.
There will be fresh declarations for the remaining races, and at least one will be divided to make up a minimum six-race card.
The chairman of the trainers association, Noel Meade, expressed satisfaction with the way the matter was handled.
"It was a very good decision in the circumstances," he said. "There was a common-sense approach. It was the right thing to do. They couldn't go against what the jockeys said. They are all hardy fellas who are risking their lives every day out there."
The Co Limerick trainer Michael Hourigan agreed: "The fear would be a hurdle coming up and hitting someone. Safety has to be the main thing. But it's a long drive for nothing."
Brave Inca, the champion hurdle title-holder, was scheduled to tackle Asian Maze in the Hatton's Grace but the eagerly awaited clash has had to be delayed.
"We will just come back here on Wednesday. It's not a big problem," said Brave Inca's trainer, Colm Murphy.
Tony McCoy is likely to be available to return to Fairyhouse on Wednesday for the ride.
