Unseasonal cold weather with significantly lower temperatures than is normal at this time of year has had a profoundly negative effect on the turf track at Fairview since its spring treatment at the end of August.
Grass growth has been retarded and the surface will not be ready for the scheduled double-header Algoa Cup weekend race meetings on Friday 23 and Sunday 25 October.
Consequently, both race meetings will be switched to the Polytrack so the Algoa Cup and the Racing Association Stakes will move to Friday 27 November and will be run on the same card as the Glendore Sprint.
The full list of changes to races and venues are as follows:
* Friday 23 October: Fairview change of surface from turf to Polytrack and Racing Association Stakes moved to 27 November
* Sunday 25 October: Fairview meeting moved to Monday 26 October on Polytrack; Algoa Cup postponed to 27 November and 26 October Turffontein meeting brought forward to 25 October.
* Friday 6 November and 13 November: Fairview change of surface from turf to Polytrack for both race meetings.
* Friday 27 November: Fairview turf race meeting with Algoa Cup, Racing Association Stakes and Glendore Sprint.
The spring-treatment schedule for the turf track at Fairview will be reviewed going forward in order to take potentially similar weather patterns to this year into account.