July shock

The Greyville July Day race programme has been rocked by last minute changes.

Races 1 & 2 have been abandoned.

Race 4, which is the Gr2 Mango Gold Vase, has been reduced from 3000m to 2400m.

Race times remain the same.

This is confirmed on Tabgold! www.tabgold.co.za/

Keep us updated please

Why dont they run the Vase as last race of the day?big difference between 2400 and 3000:S

It was confirmed on here before this thread was posted

Thanks Hibs ,The thread was rather confusing .

Totally agree BIGNIC, i think it is justified to move races so that the track is not destroyed before the main race but once again the question must be raised, WHY IS GREYVILLE IN THIS SHOCKING CONDITION???

There has been minimal racing since the end of last season, almost a year and still the track is shocking........ The milk is now spilt, when proper action should have been taken months ago after numerous delays and excuses when the tunnel was being dug.

I think the biggest race day on our calender and an event that has been close to my heart since i was seven years old has reached its lowest point....... track in terrible condition and a field that is less inspiring than the Garden Province.....

Please do not attempt an all weather track at this venue as we may only race again at Greyville in 2018.......

From: MelinneN [mailto:melinnen@goldcircle.co.za]
Sent: 05 July 2013 09:17 AM
To: 'vikashd'
Subject: Media Release: Vodacom Durban July



5 JULY 2013


Rain continues to bedevil preparations for the 2013 Vodacom Durban July and the official track condition is likely to be on the heavy side. As a precautionary measure, Gold Circle has decided to abandon the first two races and the race meeting will get under way with the running of the 3rd race, the Mango 2200 (Gr3), which is also the first leg of the Place Accumulator.

In addition, the distance for Race 4, the Mercedes Benz Gold Vase, has been shortened from 3000 to 2400 metres. Gold Circle's Racing Executive, Graeme Hawkins, explained that the track cross-over at Gate 16, which facilitates the delivery of hospitality infrastructure to the infield, has been damaged to the extent to render it unsafe for the horses and as a consequence the only option was to reduce the distance of the race.

The false rail for Races 3,4,5 and 6 will be set at 14 metres and for the remainder of the programme at 9 metres. The R3,5 million Vodacom Durban July, which is due to be run at 16:20 as race 7 on the card, will thus be run on fresh ground.

SABC 3 will broadcast the events live from Greyville between 14:30 and 17:00.

ends


Gill Simpkins
Public Relations Manager

I must question the thinking processes of those that make these decissions how do you change the distance of a graded race by 600m???

The real root cause is obviously the state of the track before the rain we hear jocks,trainers complaining for some time now to no avail yet these self same people make decisions like this with no press release of explaining the reasoning which cause a lot of assumptions(which I am guilty of now as well) I feel for owners in first two races all the hype,the question now must be will we race past the 7th race?

It's time that a few heads should roll....

I would not backing a squirrel running through the car park at Greyville let alone horses swimming in a bowl of soup. From reading some previous threads and posts it's clear all suggestions laid out previously were shot down and hence head should roll but probably wont.

So everything starts at 12:55pm then and race times stay the same?