I hear it`s pouring.....

In Durban?

Took these 2 pics leaving the office about 45 mins ago. Maydon Wharf, Durban harbour about 10 mins from Greyville.

I stay about 15 mins from Greyville and it is still bucketing down.

Attached files

And the Atmosphere in Hollywood is electrifying.

Please let's not have another RIGHT PREROGATIVE year..............................1989? The day's racing was washed out that year.

I been around Greyville and the ground abit soft.

Must have stopped by now.

was at hollywood july party and it absolutely poured down

OMG...I think racing will be cancelled or abandoned after the 7th race....wow Kzn is wet:S

Are you guys exaggerating or what?

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.

I have to ask a few questions about these changes:

Who made the final decision? And was it within their mandate?
Was Mercedes consulted on the changes to their race?
Were Trainers given time to advise owners about the abandonment of the two races before the announcement was made?
Will anyone be compensated if they have already incurred costs and now let down by gold circle gross incompetence?

This same thing happens year in and year out at Del Mar race course in So California, where the Thoroughbred meeting is preceded by a county fair. Since the racetrack facilities are leased from the country agricultural committee, none of the complaints are delivered very sternly on behalf of owners and horsemen.

Each year equipment and rides (ferris wheels, crap like this) are dragged across part of the turf course, chewing it up.

One year, the first horses that galloped over the gross course bowed tendons and nothing was done.