Hillston Jockey Club will work with Racing NSW this week to find a free date on the calendar to reschedule last Saturday’s washed out meeting.
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Six races, including the $8500 Hillston Cup (1700m) feature, were called off after heavy rain created an unsafe track.
Hillston Jockey Club president Nat Kerr said he and his committee were hopeful of finding another day to host the popular event.
“We’re trying to work something out with them (Racing NSW),” he said.
“We’re hoping to get on to them today (Tuesday) and figure something out.
“We want to get something organised.”
It’s the second time in as many years the Hillston Jockey Club has had to deal with a washout. Kerr and his committee were left with little choice on Saturday after the heavens opened overnight.
Kerr said conditions would have been too dangerous for jockeys and horses.
“We made the call on Saturday at quarter-past seven after having a look (at the track),” Kerr said.
“It (the track) was too slippery and too dangerous to race on, and then it just happened to rain all day from there.”
Despite a forecast of wet weather, Kerr was initially hopeful the meeting would go ahead.
He said the committee was at the track on Friday setting up for the event.
“We didn’t get any of the rain you guys (Griffith) got on Friday,” he said.
“We set up the tents to get it all ready and thought, ‘You beauty, it’s on’.
“But it wasn’t to be.”
Kerr said it was disappointing for the entire Hillston community the races didn’t proceed.
The annual meeting draws visitors from across the Riverina and interstate to the Carrathool Shire town, which has a population of less than 2000 people.
“It’s probably the biggest day we have out here in Hillston,” he said.
“I don’t think we have anything bigger out here.
“Aside from the last two years, we haven’t lost a race meeting for 17 years.”
More than $40,000 in prizemoney was to be on offer at the Hillston races.
Combine, from the Wagga stables of Chris Heywood and ridden by jockey Brad Clark, was set to start favourite for the Hillston Cup, which had seven horses nominated.