Landmark British racecourse beyond help after dirty water floods track following massive downpour

THIS landmark British racecourse became a total write-off after it was flooded with dirty water following yet another relentless downpour.

Huntingdon racecourse has looked more like an enormous lake this winter thanks to the nearby Alconbury Brook repeatedly bursting its banks.

Emergency cover has been put in place around the historic site - but it has proved pretty much futile in the face of a barrage of rain.

These latest photos from Monday morning show the extent of flooding at the Cambridgeshire track.

Racing is due to take place there again this Thursday but already it looks like bosses will be in a race against time to get everything ready.

While it is dry today and Tuesday, heavy rain is scheduled for Wednesday, with a 90 per cent chance of further downpours early in the morning.

Only by 6pm does the rain stop but it could be too late to save the fixture by then, with a track inspection called for 7am tomorrow.

If the racecourse is holding standing water then they won't, in all likelihood, be able to race.

Huntingdon racecourse, which is run by The Jockey Club, was totally submerged just last month as a result of the freak weather brought about by Storm Henk.

They kissed goodbye to their big Peterborough Chase before the turn of the year due to more flooding.

That was the second time in three years the Grade 2 race - their biggest fixture of the year - had been called off.

Photos from the weekend before last showed the home straight completely underwater.

The track does drain well but these new pictures show that's of scant consolation with yet another flood alert in place.

Clerk of the course Roderick Duncan told the last weekend about the affect of the flooding.

He said: "We're properly flooded and it's a pretty big one again.

"The road in has flooded and it's making access to the nearby Holiday Inn tricky."

Huntingdon's last fixture 11 days ago saw a possible Cheltenham Festival contender in Handstands.

The Ben Pauling-trained five-year-old was brilliant in seeing off 5-4 favourite Jango Baie.

Handstands was slashed to 16-1 from 33s for the Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle at next month's major meeting.

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