Pacing: Feature race re-scheduled following serious fall

Gloucester Park officials plan to re-run the $100,000 2YO Colts and Geldings Sales Classic (1730m) this week after a fall caused abandonment of the feature event last Friday night.

“The race will be incorporated into this Friday night’s meeting,” Gloucester Park chief executive Michael Radley said. “Barriers will remain the same.”

It was shades of the thoroughbreds’ Perth Cup at Ascot on January 1, when a two-horse fall in early stages caused stewards to call off the race. Buster Bash won a re-run two weeks later.

Greatgreat Boulder fell near the 1100m, after the youngsters had travelled about 600m on Friday night.

“The colt and his driver Ryan Warwick were uninjured,” chief steward Brad Lewis said. “From early stages, Greatgreat Boulder had pulled hard. Then he choked down and fell.

“Assessing where he was lying on the track, stewards did not hesitate to signal for drivers to ease runners before they reached the fall location in their final lap.

“It was not practical to have a re-run on the night because the field were new two-year-olds who had raced for almost a lap.”

“Stewards stood Greatgreat Boulder down from racing for 13 days and he must complete two satisfactory trials before starting again. The stand down will rule him out of a re-run this week.”

First emergency Menemsha, a Gloucester winner trained by Aiden De Campo, will go into the field and automatically replaces Greatgreat Boulder at gate nine.