Sandown forced to call off Grand Military Gold Cup day

Sandown’s Grand Military Gold Cup meeting on Friday has been abandoned due to a waterlogged track.

Having staged racing in testing conditions on Saturday, further heavy rain in the interim has left clerk of the course Andrew Cooper with no choice but to call the meeting off.

The hurdle races originally scheduled to take place had already been replaced by new races over fences to form an all-chase card.

An inspection was held at 8am on Wednesday but as the track was hit by a further 20mm of rain since the last meeting it was felt the course was unraceable.

A post on Sandown’s X account read: “Racing on Friday 6th February for Grand Military Gold Cup day has been abandoned after this morning’s inspection due to a waterlogged track.

“20mm of rain has fallen on the track since racing on Saturday, up to this morning, which has rendered the ground waterlogged in places and unraceable. Further rain is expected tomorrow and Friday so the opportunity for sufficient improvement in track conditions is not possible.”