# Storms Austen and Boelo: The Racing Weekend Lost to the Weather
_Storms Austen and Boelo cost British racing 21 races over the weekend at Newbury and Aintree. What was lost, what moves to Newmarket, and your bets._
*Source: [https://stablebet.co.uk/racing-news/storms-austen-and-boelo-racing-2026-review/](https://stablebet.co.uk/racing-news/storms-austen-and-boelo-racing-2026-review/) · last updated 2026-10-26*
## The weekend in short
Two named storms in three days took three British race meetings off the calendar. Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, crossed the UK on Friday 23 October. The Met Office recorded gusts of 76mph at St Mary's Airport on the Isles of Scilly, 74mph at Aberporth and 71mph at Culdrose. Storm Boelo followed on Saturday night and Sunday, with amber wind warnings for mainland Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland and northern England.
Newbury lost both days of its BetVictor Flat Finale to waterlogging, including the Group 3 St Simon Stakes and Horris Hill Stakes on Saturday. Aintree called off Sunday's card, the one with the Old Roan Chase, because of the wind. In Ireland, Galway moved its Saturday card to today, Monday 26 October.
Our own racecard feed puts the bill at 21 British races and 237 runners. The section on what the storms cost has the prize money. The two Newbury Group 3s already have new dates at Newmarket this week. The Old Roan does not have one yet.
Most other meetings went ahead. Cheltenham, Doncaster, Kelso and Southwell raced on Saturday, and Market Rasen, Galway and Wexford all passed inspections on Sunday.
## Newbury: two days lost to waterlogging
Newbury's problem was rain, and a lot of it. Clerk of the course George Hill told Thoroughbred Daily News the course had taken more than 50mm in about four days, 13mm of it overnight on Thursday. An inspection on Thursday 22 October found parts of the track waterlogged, and Friday's six-race card was called off that day.
Saturday was meant to be the big day: eight races, with the St Simon Stakes over a mile and a half and the Horris Hill Stakes over seven furlongs, both Group 3s, and the Listed Radley Stakes for two-year-old fillies. The course said sections of the track were still waterlogged and there was not enough time for things to improve, so Saturday went too.
The BHA moved quickly. On Friday it announced that both Group 3s would be run at Newmarket's Rowley Mile instead:
- **St Simon Stakes:** Friday 30 October.
- **Horris Hill Stakes:** Saturday 31 October. It is now open to fillies as well as colts and geldings, because the Radley Stakes, a fillies' race over the same trip, could not be saved.
The Jockey Club agreed to add the two races to its Rowley Mile cards, and the Horserace Betting Levy Board contributed to the prize funds for both races. Newbury's next fixture is its first jumps meeting of the autumn, on Thursday 5 November. The [Newbury racecourse guide](/uk-racecourses/newbury/) has the course and its fixtures.
## Aintree: the Old Roan Chase blown off
Aintree's Sunday card was the Halloween Family Fun Day, seven races with the William Hill Old Roan Chase, a Grade 2 limited handicap, as its feature, and Storm Boelo's winds put paid to it.
The card was called off more than an hour and a half before a scheduled 8am inspection. Clerk of the course Sulekha Varma told the Racing Post she had recorded a gust of 44.97mph, with an average of about 40mph, and the wings and rails could not be kept standing. Aintree's statement said "the safety of our participants, visitors and teams is our number one priority". Sporting Life reported that strong winds were expected until at least early afternoon.
**Is the Old Roan being rescheduled?** Not yet. Varma said the team would look to have conversations about rescheduling soon. When we checked on Monday 26 October, neither Aintree nor the BHA had announced a new date or venue, and we will not guess one. We will update this page when there is news.
**Tickets.** General admission ticket holders are being refunded, and hospitality bookers are being contacted, according to Sporting Life.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Market Rasen passed an early inspection, and all seven races were run on Good to Soft, Soft in places. The [Aintree racecourse guide](/uk-racecourses/aintree/) has more on the course.
## Ireland: Galway moved, Wexford raced
Galway saw Storm Boelo coming. On Thursday 22 October the course announced there would be no racing on Saturday, with the ground already poor and Met Éireann yellow rain and wind warnings in place for Saturday. Chief executive Michael Moloney said the decision was taken with IHRB clerk of the course Shane Ryder, and that "the safety and welfare of our jockeys, horses, racegoers and staff must always come first".
Rather than lose the card, Galway moved it. The October festival now runs Sunday to Tuesday: jumps on Sunday, the rescheduled Saturday jumps card today (Monday 26 October, the Student Raceday), and the Flat card on Tuesday 27 October, moved back a day from Monday. Saturday's general admission tickets are being refunded automatically.
On Sunday both Irish meetings passed morning inspections. Galway raced on soft to heavy on the chase course, soft on the hurdles course and heavy on the Flat track, and Wexford on soft, according to Irish Racing. The [Galway racecourse guide](/irish-racecourses/galway/) covers the track.
## What the storms cost, from our racecards
We keep a copy of every racecard our feed sends us through the day, so we can count what was lost. These figures come from those cards for Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October. "Runners" means horses still on the card when it was called off, so a few would have been non-runners anyway. "First prizes" is the winner's prize in each race, not the full prize fund, which is larger.
| Meeting | Races lost | Runners on the cards | First prizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newbury, Friday 23 October | 6 | 72 | £49,265 |
| Newbury, Saturday 24 October | 8 | 96 | £165,390 |
| Aintree, Sunday 25 October | 7 | 69 | £106,613 |
| **Total** | **21** | **237** | **£321,268** |
Newbury's Saturday card was the richest of the three. The St Simon Stakes alone carried a first prize of £56,710, the Horris Hill £42,532 and the Radley £25,520. At Aintree the Old Roan Chase was worth £45,560 to the winner, with 13 runners. The biggest single field lost was the Hazell & Jefferies Handicap at Newbury on Saturday, with 20 runners.
Galway's Saturday card, seven races with 103 runners and €70,800 in first prizes, does not count as lost: it is being run today instead.
The cards also show how different the ground was depending on where you were. Doncaster raced the Futurity Trophy on Saturday on Heavy, Soft in places, and Newbury's abandoned Saturday card had been listed as Soft, Heavy in places. Kelso, on the same day, raced on Good. A card's going can lag behind the official going on the day, so treat these as a snapshot.
## The horses left without a race
An abandoned race leaves a horse fit and ready with nowhere to go. For the two Newbury Group 3s there is now a second chance at Newmarket, though nobody has said yet which of Saturday's declared runners will take it. Fresh entries and declarations are needed, and the decision sits with each horse's connections. Follow any of the horses below in your [Horse Tracker](/horse-tracker/) and you will see when it is next declared.
**St Simon Stakes, nine declared at Newbury:** Al Aasy, Aegean Prince, Al Qareem, By The Book, Grey Cuban, Royal Playwright, White Birch, Evanesco and Rebel Rocker. Charlie Appleby had two of them, Aegean Prince and By The Book.
**Horris Hill Stakes, nine declared at Newbury:** Flying Pirate, Ghost Raider, Golden Souk, Green Sovereign, Jassas, Mezzo Forte, Midgham Man, Nakila Sun and Twelve Bars.
**Radley Stakes, ten declared:** this race is gone for the year. Its fillies, among them Diplomata, Spirited Gesture and Sizzling Affair, could now run in the Horris Hill at Newmarket, which is open to them for the first time.
**Old Roan Chase, 13 declared at Aintree:** Matata, Master Chewy, Hitman, Wendigo, Riskintheground, Teddy Blue, Matterhorn, Boombawn, Imperial Saint, Prairie Wolf, Etalon, Bluey and Insurrection. Dan Skelton had four of the 13. Until there is a new date for the race, any talk of where these horses go next is guesswork, and we have left it out.
## What it means for your bets
If you had a bet on any race at Newbury on Friday or Saturday, or at Aintree on Sunday, the general rule is simple. Under standard bookmaker rules, a bet on a race that is abandoned is void and your stake is returned. If the bet was part of a multiple, check how your bookmaker settles the other legs.
Moved races are less simple. The St Simon and the Horris Hill will be run, but at a different course on a different day, and the Horris Hill has changed its conditions to let fillies in. How a bookmaker treats an ante-post bet struck on the Newbury race, and whether it stands for the Newmarket one, is set by that bookmaker's own rules. Read your operator's racing rules or ask its customer service before assuming either way. Our guide to [ante-post betting](/betting/bet-types/ante-post-betting/) explains how bets placed before declarations are settled.
Galway's Saturday card is a slightly different case again, because it was moved before racing was due to start. Check how your bookmaker has settled any bet you placed on it. For this week's weather, including Tuesday's wind warning and the ground for the Charlie Hall Chase, see our [week-ahead weather and going guide](/racing-news/racing-weather-and-going-week-ahead-26-october-2026/).
### Bet responsibly
A weekend with no racing can tempt you to chase the action elsewhere. Set your budget before you bet and stick to it. If gambling stops being fun, free confidential support is available from [BeGambleAware](https://www.begambleaware.org/) on 0808 8020 133. 18+.
## Frequently asked questions
### Why was racing at Newbury abandoned?
Waterlogging. Clerk of the course George Hill said Newbury had more than 50mm of rain in about four days, including 13mm overnight on Thursday 22 October. An inspection that day found parts of the track waterlogged, so Friday's card was called off. Sections were still waterlogged after a further inspection on Friday morning, and with no time for the ground to recover, Saturday's eight-race card, with the St Simon Stakes and the Horris Hill Stakes, was abandoned too.
### When are the St Simon Stakes and Horris Hill Stakes being run?
Both have moved to Newmarket's Rowley Mile. The St Simon Stakes is on Friday 30 October and the Horris Hill Stakes on Saturday 31 October, both with new prize funds set by the BHA and part-funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board. The BHA has opened the Horris Hill to fillies this year, because the Listed Radley Stakes for fillies could not be rescheduled. The fields will be on our [Newmarket racecard](/racecards/newmarket/) once declarations are out.
### Will the Old Roan Chase be rescheduled?
There is no new date yet. Aintree's clerk of the course Sulekha Varma said after Sunday's abandonment that the team would look to have conversations about rescheduling. When we checked on Monday 26 October, no new date or venue had been announced by Aintree or the BHA. We will update this page when one is confirmed.
### Why was Aintree abandoned when Market Rasen raced?
Aintree's problem was wind, not ground. Its clerk recorded a gust of almost 45mph and an average of about 40mph early on Sunday, and the wings and rails could not be kept up, which made it unsafe for horses, riders and spectators. Market Rasen, more than 100 miles away in Lincolnshire, passed an early inspection and raced. Each course decides on the conditions it finds on the morning.
### Are bets on abandoned races void?
Under standard bookmaker rules, a bet on an abandoned race is void and the stake is returned. Races that are moved to another course or date, like the St Simon and Horris Hill, can be treated differently, especially ante-post bets. Each bookmaker sets out its own rules, so check your operator's terms before assuming how a bet will be settled.
### Do I get a refund on my Aintree or Galway ticket?
Aintree said general admission ticket holders for Sunday will be refunded, and hospitality bookers will be contacted, according to Sporting Life. Galway said Saturday general admission tickets would be refunded automatically, which can take up to 10 working days, and that Sunday and Monday tickets stay valid. Newbury said it would email bookers about ticket arrangements.
## Sources and verification
Checked on Monday 26 October 2026 against:
- [Met Office: warnings in place as Storm Boelo to impact UK](https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/news-and-media/media-centre/weather-and-climate-news/2026/amber-warning-issued-for-storm-boelo-as-storm-austen-moves-through) (updated 24 October)
- [Newbury Racecourse: racing abandoned](https://newburyracecourse.co.uk/racing/news-and-information/racing-abandoned-friday-23rd-october/) and [Newbury Today](https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/saturday-racing-abandoned-at-newbury-racecourse-9488339/)
- [Thoroughbred Daily News: waterlogging forces Newbury to call off Saturday](https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/waterlogging-forces-newbury-to-call-off-saturday-fixture/)
- [BHA: St Simon Stakes and Horris Hill Stakes rescheduled](https://www.britishhorseracing.com/press_releases/bha-confirms-rescheduling-of-st-simon-stakes-and-horris-hill-stakes-following-newbury-abandonment/)
- [Racing Post: Aintree's Old Roan Chase called off](https://www.racingpost.com/news/aintrees-old-roan-chase-called-off-and-more-inspections-ahead-after-storm-boelo-results-in-amber-wind-warnings-a8cJT6J1WOJ6/) and [Sporting Life: Aintree abandoned due to high winds](https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/racing-weather-latest-aintree-sunday-card-abandoned-due-to-high-winds/234971)
- [Galway Races: racing rescheduled](https://galwayraces.com/racing-rescheduled/), the [Tuam Herald](https://www.tuamherald.ie/2026/10/23/storm-boelo-forces-changes-to-galway-racing-festival/) and [Irish Racing](https://www.irishracing.com/news/green-light-for-both-irish-meetings/268207)
The race counts, runners, first prizes and card going descriptions come from our own copy of the racecard feed for 22 to 25 October, and the declared fields in the horses section come from the same cards. They are our records rather than a second independent source. Every result from the meetings that did go ahead is on the [racing results](/racing-results/) page.