Poor weather at racing - but another day is on offer

But there was an unexpected benefit to racegoers - they can enjoy another day’s racing tomorrow for a bargain price.

Today, the second day of the racecourse’s ambitious three-day August Festival, was Ladies’ Day - but driving rain and poor visibility played havoc, not just with the fashions on show, but with the racecard.

More than 20 non-runners were declared as rain saturated the course, altering the going.

And with visibility so poor through the mist and downpours, the spectators suffered.

This afternoon, Tony Kelly, the group MD of racecourse owners Northern Racing - which also owns Fontwell - said: “The weather’s atrocious here.

“We have just had the first race and, as long as the weather doesn’t deteriorate, we should get a full card.

“But we know it hasn’t been the experience we would wish for the racegoers here.

“So I’d like to offer anyone who pre-booked a ticket for today to bring along that ticket tomorrow, on the final day of the three-day Festival, and we’ll offer them admission for £5.”