The track is scheduled to be closed after this meeting and ripped up ready to be re-built with racing not resuming until sometime in the new year.

A forecast for rain leading up to the meeting has club officials worried with the track already rated a soft 5. 

“The track won’t be able to take too much rain,” the club’s CEO, Michael Bowman said.

“We are racing at this stage but it will be a matter of watching the weather.

“If we race it will be our last meeting and if we don’t race that will be it until sometime into the new year.

“We can’t put a definitive date on when racing will resume because so many factors during the re-building will have an impact on that decision.

“We have to make sure we get it right and not race on the new track until the grass has knitted properly and everything is in place.”

A meeting has been scheduled for Port Macquarie on May 17 but that will be transferred, probably to Taree, although that is yet to be confirmed by Racing NSW.

A letter has been sent to members advising them that their membership rights have been extended and that existing reciprocal rights with other clubs will continue.

There will be no Port Macquarie Cup this year. 

Meanwhile Ronald Broomhall has had a bet each way with his rejuvenated six year old Elkay Star which is due to run in tomorrow’s McGuigan BMW Benchmark 65 (1000m).

“I have also nominated for Newcastle on Thursday but they are supposed to get plenty of rain as well,” Broomhall said.

“If Port Macquarie races he will start here but if the meeting is off I have Newcastle to fall back on, provided they race.”

Elkay Star spent more than a year on the sidelines with a bowed tendon but at his second run back showed he was on track to return to form with a fast finishing third over 900 metres at Newcastle.

Jenny Graham has an interesting addition to her stable in Single Melody which makes her local debut in this race.

The former Joe Pride trained mare won three races, one each at Newcastle, Wyong and Canterbury before being spelled then sent to Graham.

She has run third in trials at Port Macquarie and Newcastle leading into this race and while she has won on a soft track has no heavy track form.

Neil Godbolt also has a former Joe Pride trained galloper in Don Santos which runs in the Coca-Cola Maiden (1000m).

He had six runs for Pride for thirds at Hawkesbury and Kembla Grange and has had one run for Godbolt for a third at Grafton. 

SELECTIONS:

1-1.12, ARROWFIELD 3YO MAIDEN, 1200m: BAZZA’S BOY 1, Akamin 2, I’m Wally 3, Tiverton 4.

2-1.47, COCA-COLA MAIDEN, 1000m: DOS SANTOS 1, Faith And Fury 2, Storm Patrol 3, Hidden Concept 4.

3-2.22, JOHN L FISHER PLUMBING SUPPLIES MAIDEN, 1500m: METUNG PENNY 1, Timing’s Essential 2, Up There Kawana 3, Doublecross Dancer 4.

4-2.57, McGUIGAN BMW BENCHMARK 65, 1000m: ELKAY STAR 1, Forewarned 2, Single Melody 3, Opera Blu 4.

5-3.32, PRIME7 CLASS TWO, 1000m: POET’S TRICK 1, Gold Beret 2, Deceptive 3, Dominant Choice 4.

6-4.10, CARLTON MID BENCHMARK 55, 1200m: REORGANISE 1, Delagos 2, Source Of Harmony 3, Baby She Rocks 4.

7-4.50, DE BORTOLI WINES CLASS ONE, 1500m: HOT ART 1, Big Sonny 2, Welsh Poet 3, Kenian 4.