Heavy overnight rainfall forced the Hong Kong Jockey Club to cancel the sixth race at Sha Tin Racecourse on Saturday following jockeys’ complaints about poor visibility and a muddy track surface.
- Win, place, and quinella pools for the abandoned sixth race face full refunds, while multi-race wagers like the Triple Trio and Six Up distribute consolation payouts according to Jockey Club rules.
- Jockey Challenge and Trainer Challenge bets remain active, though the cancelled race contributes zero points to the final standings.
- Punters holding physical cash tickets must claim refunds within 60 days at the racecourse or off-course betting branches, while digital account funds return automatically.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced the cancellation of the Class 4 Panasonic Hair Dryer Handicap over 1650 metres after consulting with jockeys, racingnews.hkjc.com reported.
Track, ego, and facility manager Clement Cheng Kam-hing told metrohk.com.hk that the area received 55 millimetres of rain overnight, creating what officials classified as significant precipitation. While single heavy downpours usually leave all-weather tracks manageable, continuous overnight rain seeped into the surface layers and saturated the dirt.
Data from the Hong Kong Observatory showed rain fell hourly from 10:45 p.m. to 6:45 a.m. Friday to 6:45 a.m. Saturday, with the heaviest rates hitting up to 20 millimetres between 2:45 a.m. and 3:45 a.m. The third race stood as the sole dirt event before the stoppage, won by apprentice jockey Angus Chung Yik-lai aboard Winner Supreme, metrohk.com.hk reported.
| Race Detail | Original Schedule | Status | Purse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 3 (All-Weather) | Afternoon | Completed | 1,170,000 HKD |
| Race 6 (Class 4, 1650m) | 3:25 PM | Cancelled | 1,170,000 HKD |
| Race 10 (Class 3, 1650m) | 5:35 PM | Under Review | 1,170,000 HKD |
Cheng explained that while overseas jurisdictions race on similar surfaces, local riders possess different experiences and safety thresholds. “Safety is always the Club’s top consideration for horses and jockeys,” Cheng told metrohk.com.hk.
The cancellation nullified win, place, quinella, quinella place, tierce, trio, first four, and quartet pools for the sixth race, with full ticket refunds issued. Multi-race bets adjusted automatically: the fifth and sixth Double paid out to the first leg winner, while the sixth and seventh Double and third Tierce settled on their remaining active legs.
The Triple Trio distributed its jackpot to tickets selecting the first and third legs, carrying over 6 million Hong Kong dollars in jackpot funds to a future fixture.
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