Award-winning racecourse disappears under ocean of water as Storm Henk causes widespread fixture panic

THIS award-winning racecourse has disappeared under an ocean of water – as Storm Henk causes fixture chaos up and down the country.

The yellow weather warning in place for large swathes of England came too late to save Huntingdon racecourse.

Paul Marriott

The devastating scene at Huntingdon racecourse – where somewhere a track lies deep beneath the muddy water[/caption]

PA

Worcester racecourse has taken an absolute battering during this wet and wild winter[/caption]

PA

There is barely anything left to identify Worcester racecourse beneath the flooding[/caption]

The Cambridgeshire track suffered a fresh deluge over the weekend and these photos showed the extent to which the track had been flooded.

But fresh images have emerged showing the devastating effect the bursting of nearby Alconbury Brook’s banks have had.

The home bend, straight and a number of jumps and hurdles sit submerged beneath muddy water.

The parade ring resembles a swimming pool and the lower steps of the grandstand lie underwater.

Fortunately, with the worst of the weather passing, it appears some of it has started to drain off.

But there is no doubt that Huntingdon, which has been crowned ‘best small racecourse’ in the south Midlands and East Anglia area, has had a terrible few weeks.

They lost the Peterborough Chase – their biggest race of the year – last month and it was never rearranged.

The track has been underwater pretty much ever since and flood alerts remain in place.

Huntingdon is not alone, though, with Worcester racecourse totally submerged.

Kayakers have taken to paddling down the home straight.

And water from the nearby River Severn has been lapping at the windows of the on-course bookie sheds.

Racing at Ffos Las in south Wales was abandoned yesterday, while Huntingdon called off their card days ago.

And barring some miraculous draining, it looks like their next meeting, scheduled for Friday week, will be off too.

Chepstow, site of last month’s Welsh Grand National, have already abandoned their Sunday fixture.

The track is ‘totally waterlogged and saturated’ having been hit with more than 140mm of rain in just over a week.

There is a yellow weather warning for Wincanton’s seven-race card on Saturday and an 8am raceday inspection has been called.

While up to 20mm of rain is forecast at Sandown and Plumpton before Saturday’s action.

Both fixtures have been chosen by the BHA as their ‘premier’ fixtures for the day and are set to feature on the ITV coverage.

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