As the Melbourne Cup went ahead in soggy weather today, wet conditions have washed out country race meets across Victoria.
Key points:
- Several country race meets have been cancelled over the Spring Racing Carnival
- Wet weather and soggy tracks are being blamed for the abandoned events
- Community leaders say the cancellations are an economic blow to the towns involved
Events in Mortlake, Wycheproof and Healesville were cancelled on Saturday and meets scheduled for today in Wangaratta, Bairnsdale and Mansfield were called off.
The Kyneton Cup has been moved from the waterlogged Kyneton track to the Bendigo Jockey Club tomorrow.
The Dunkeld Cup, scheduled for November 12, has also been cancelled.
Club manager Lisa Evans said the course was underwater.
"This year will hurt because we were very close to a sell-out," she said.
"People flock to the Dunkeld Races — it's one of those bucket list items for some people."
Ms Evans said rescheduling was difficult because more rain was expected.
"It's not as easy as changing the date because we need to work with Racing Victoria and the racing calendar around the state," she said.
"With rain on the horizon coming, it was very difficult to find a time to re-run the race."
Safety concerns
Wangaratta Turf Club chief executive Sean Barrett said it was a difficult call to cancel today's event.
"With the amount of rain we've had here in the last couple of weeks and the growth of the grass, the guys couldn't get machinery out there to mow the grass," he said.
"We didn't think it was going to be safe for racing, but also it certainly wasn't going to deliver the quality experience for our customers and members."
Wangaratta's Melbourne Cup Day event has not occurred since the beginning of the pandemic, which Mr Barrett said added to the devastation.
"It is a significant part of our budget and it will have an impact, but the club has been well-supported through COVID," he said.
Thousands of people would typically flock to the event, which takes about six months to plan.
Mr Barrett said it was not only a blow to the trainers, punters, and event organisers, but also to the entertainment industry.
"We'd usually have two or three bands perform here on cup day," he said.
"They've had a pretty tough run over the last couple of years not being able to go out and perform, and unfortunately now we're adding to that by cancelling our race."
Communities disappointed
In Wycheproof, Buloke Shire mayor Daryl Warren said the cancellation of the cup was a huge disappointment.
"It was a heart-wrenching condition to cancel it. I feel for the committee and volunteers," he said
"You work so hard all year for these events and at the very last minute, it's not there.
"It's sadly a sign of the times with the weather, but it doesn't make it any easier when you've worked so hard for 12 months."
Cr Warren said it had flow-on effects across the region.
"Motel bookings, all the businesses which look forward to the crowd coming, those things just don't happen," he said.
"Suppliers from the local towns, they all miss out when these things are cancelled."
Cr Warren said the council was now holding out hope the Donald Cup would go ahead on November 13.