Haydock Park Cancels Weekend Racing After Track Damage Forces Major Fixture Relocations

Haydock Park has cancelled its scheduled racing fixtures for Friday and Saturday after a hole emerged on the outer course during last weekend's racing, forcing the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) to relocate races to alternative venues. Carlisle Racecourse will host Saturday's card—including the rescheduled Silver Bowl—while Wolverhampton will stage an additional fixture on Friday.

Track Damage Forces Fixture Cancellation

The damage to Haydock's outer course became apparent during racing on Saturday, prompting officials to explore using the inner track for the scheduled weekend fixtures. However, an inspection on Tuesday revealed the inner course could not recover adequately after hosting three days of racing in recent days. External drainage specialists and agronomists are investigating the cause of the hole and assessing repairs.

In a statement, Haydock Park expressed regret for the disruption, acknowledging the inconvenience to participants and racegoers while confirming discussions with the BHA regarding rescheduling options.

Carlisle Steps In for Saturday's Major Races

Carlisle will stage an eight-race card on Saturday, incorporating races originally scheduled at Haydock. The Silver Bowl—which was abandoned on May 23—will be rescheduled at Carlisle with its prize money retained and sponsorship expanded by Betway. Five races from the Carlisle programme will be broadcast on ITV Racing, including the Group 3 Betway Lester Piggott Fillies' Stakes, maintaining the visibility of these fixtures.

The Carlisle card will largely mirror Haydock's original Saturday schedule, with minor distance adjustments to accommodate the venue change. Entry closures and declaration deadlines follow standard BHA procedures, with entries closing Wednesday at noon and declarations due Thursday by 10am.

Wolverhampton Hosts Additional Friday Fixture

Wolverhampton will provide additional racing capacity on Friday with a six-race card capable of expansion to eight races. The jockey booking deadline for Friday's fixtures has been extended by 24 hours to accommodate the additional meeting. Entry and declaration deadlines match those for Carlisle, with entries closing Wednesday and declarations due Thursday morning.

Betway maintains sponsorship of all Saturday races and has extended backing to include the rescheduled Silver Bowl, reinforcing commercial stability amid the fixture changes.