The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has confirmed that four fixtures on Wednesday have been cancelled due to forecast extreme temperatures, including a meeting at the Welsh track Ffos Las. The decision follows the Met Office issuing a rare red extreme heat warning for parts of the Midlands, southern England, and Wales from 9am on Wednesday 24 June to 9pm on Thursday 25 June.
Affected fixtures and rationale
The cancelled fixtures are at Kempton Park, Salisbury, Worcester, and Ffos Las. Three of these courses fall within the red warning zone, while Ffos Las is located just outside but requires travel through the high-risk zone to reach the racecourse. According to a BHA statement, the hot weather policy states that where racecourses fall within a red warning zone, the fixture will be abandoned. Additionally, horses must not be travelled from or through areas that have red warnings in place.
Health and safety measures
The BHA stated: "The decision to abandon the fixtures has been taken in conjunction with the racecourses with a view to mitigating any risk to the health and wellbeing of equine and human participants." The authority will continue to liaise with racecourses hosting fixtures in amber warning zones this week to consider any further mitigations, in line with the BHA’s hot weather policy. Each fixture will be managed on a case-by-case basis, with several factors considered according to the local weather forecast and environmental conditions.
Further guidance
Trainers are reminded that horses should not be moved from or through any areas where red heat warnings are in place. The BHA said further updates will be issued where necessary.
