04-05-2025
- Climate
- Irish Daily Mirror
Horse racing chaos as race abandoned mid-contest with jockeys taking cover
Racing at Auteuil was abruptly called off on Saturday afternoon due to rapidly deteriorating weather conditions.
Weather warnings had been issued in the area before the card started, with the forecast progressively worsening. As the final race on the card was about to start at 15:07, the winds intensified and a hail storm broke out.
Despite this, the race went ahead, with jockeys clearly distracted by the harsh conditions. Videos revealed golf ball-sized hailstones pelting the track, leading to most of the field being withdrawn as jockeys realised the conditions were becoming dangerous.
The klaxon was then sounded on the course, with officials deciding that the race should be halted due to the severe weather. Leaves and sticks continued to fall in the area, with some marshals on the course also moving to avoid the worst of the conditions.
As it was the last race of the day, the extreme weather brought an unexpected early end to the card. Sky Sports presenter Alex Hammond was on hand to comment on the dangerous conditions, the Express reports.
She said: "This is wild. The hailstones are absolutely enormous, that will be really painful. They look the size of golf balls."
Pundit Laurent Barbarin was also stunned when bearing witness to the powerful storm as he commented: "I have never seen anything like it. They are trying to hide under trees, it is so dangerous."
Despite the conditions, action soon got underway earlier at 10:53am and it was Prince of Paris - priced at 14/1 - who defeated favourite Lord Brett in the opening La Veine Chase.
Regardless of the early upset, fans who backed favourites throughout the day came out on top with Miss Wood (9/4), Pistache Dore (6/4) and Woods (15/8) all earned victories before Mickael Seror's Ventura Highway (9/1) triumphed at the Andrea Chase.
The French trainer enjoyed a glorious day as he claimed yet another victory just an hour later with Kel Story (4/1), which came prior to Maree Verte (3-1) winning the Burgrave II Claiming Hurdle.
The action in England was equally thrilling with jockey William Buick leading Ruling Court to a win in the 2000 Guineas under jockey William Buick.
