Last Friday at Canberra the unheard of occurred when the second half of the eight-race program was abandoned due to poor visibility and excessive water on the synthetic Acton surface.

Commentators were quick to report that it was not the footing that was the problem, and regrettably had a delay occurred instead of an abandonment the meeting may have been completed, as the weather cleared significantly thereafter. 

However, the decision had been made and that was that.

Fortunately, or otherwise, under the circumstances, three Moruya runners in Chicka Pearson’s Flaming Star, Matt Wood’s Brockman, and Chris Hensler’s Jayko, all of whom had run brilliantly at Moruya on July 15, all stepped out in the third race, a class three Handicap over 1750m.

It was Chicka’s Flaming Star, with Willie in the saddle, who powered away from the pack in the straight to record an emphatic 3.5 lengths victory on the line, with Matt’s Brockman running another great race to claim second, two lengths ahead of the rest.

Luke Pepper’s Curata Impact, to be ridden by Roly Saxton, was our only runner on the day who didn’t get a run as planned as he was set to run in race six, while Rachel Backhouse’s The Devils Mark had earlier been scratched from race eight. 

Roly, Willie Pearson and James Geppert all had rides in the abandoned races.

John Marzol and Greg Backhouse had several horses accepted for Saturday’s Gundagai meeting but unfortunately those races were abandoned also.

On Sunday the focus turned to the Victorian venue of Sale, where John Peiti’s border-hopper Halfashot was returning from a long spell.

He ran on strongly on the heavy surface in the benchmark 62 sprint finishing just behind the placegetters, and with John’s careful nursing will be improved by that first-up run.

Joe Ible presented his unraced three-year-old filly Sublime Lass, making her debut in 

the opening maiden (1000m) sprint at provincial Kembla Grange on Tuesday in a small but strong field of city runners, and although finishing unplaced she will certainly be improved by the race-day experience. Jay Ford had the ride on Sublime Lass.

Possibly our last city runner for the season in John Marzol’s Code Word stepped out at Canterbury on Wednesday in race six on the program, a benchmark 75 (1900m) event, with Nathan Berry once again on board. 

By the time the race was run the track had improved under sunny skies to a dead five rating, which was probably no advantage to Code Word, who loves the wetter surfaces. 

Nathan had him positioned closer than usual on the fence behind the leading group as they hit the turn, but as he gained momentum and was looking for a gap between the two horses in front of him, that gap closed several times and he’d run into a dead end. 

Forget the unlucky run as he looked a winning chance when they entered the straight and with clear running would have been right in the finish, instead of finishing unplaced.

Today our attention turns to the meeting at Goulburn, the scene of Matt Stephens’ last-start stirring victory with Infinite Kingdom, and he steps out in race seven, a benchmark 55 (1400m) event. 

James Geppert will again be in the saddle. 

Rachel’s The Devils Mark will need a lot of scratchings in race nine to get a run as fifth emergency in the benchmark 65 sprint.

Last-start winner of the Bay Post Track Watch race at Moruya two weeks ago, Brett Jones’ Macks Cutie, who has won at the track previously lines up in race six, a benchmark 60 mile, where he meets John Marzol’s Have One On Me, who finished a good third at the track several weeks ago. 

John’s Tififi and Mark Macdonald’s Wilveranj, both last-start placegetters at Moruya, line up in the maiden event (race four). Willie and Roly will also be riding at the meeting.

We also have strong nominations in for the Queanbeyan meeting on Monday, which hopefully turn into acceptances.

Until next week, good luck and good punting.