Punchestown have had to abandon two races on Wednesday after a deluge hit the track and have also been forced to announce an inspection on Thursday.
Feature race abandoned after storm hits track
Day two of the Punchestown Festival eventually got under way later than anticipated and minus two scheduled races over fences, with an 8am inspection already called for Thursday's action
The County Kildare track had been bracing itself for a wet week and while Tuesday's top-class fare took place in intermittent sunshine, the situation was far more bleak heading into the second day.
With lashing rain and strong winds causing officials serious cause for concern, the decision was made early in the afternoon that neither thetote.com Punchestown Gold Cup or the Guinness Handicap Chase would be able to take place as the chase track was deemed unraceable.
Rescheduled
Both of the chases have been rescheduled to be run on Saturday's card, with the Gold Cup given an off time of 4.25pm and the Guinness Handicap Chase scheduled for 5pm.
That left a five-race card comprising of three hurdle races and two to take place, with the first race put back to 4.55pm in order to give the winds time to die down.
Leading jockey Ruby Walsh walked the course prior to the announcement of the change to the meeting and was happy for the shortened fixture to take place.
"It's gusty, but it's grand," he told
At The Races.
"There is too much water laying in front of too many fences on the chase course. You would have had to omit at least three of the last four and probably two more.
"In all fairness you can't have a Grade One steeplechase and only jump seven fences. The wind will make it tough, but the tougher horses will win.
"If this was the middle of December or January or February, you wouldn't even be thinking about it. You'd just get on with it."
Racing Manager
After racing Richie Galway, Punchestown's Racing Manager, commented: "All the jockeys have said that while it does not look that pretty, they are happy to continue as long as the ground doesn't deteriorate. All the feedback from them has been positive.
"There is a chance we may run a hurdles and bumper card again tomorrow. We've had 35 millimetres of rain since 10am today. The forecast is for it to remain unsettled overnight and to improve after lunchtime. We will try and make a decision one way or the other at 8am."
