Tuggeranong Cup dashed by downpour at Thoroughbred Park

The meeting was abandoned after five races due to safety concerns following interviews with jockeys, with impacted visibility a major concern amid the downpour.

Racing officials have already moved to reschedule the meeting's feature - the $30,000 Tuggeranong Cup [1600 metres] which had attracted 21 nominations - to April 14, when it will replace a Benchmark 60 1600m race.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of severe thunderstorms over the ACT, with "damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall" which could lead to flash flooding in the late afternoon of Friday.

So much of the pre-Tuggeranong Cup dialogue had centred on Keith Dryden-trained mare Stratum Pride - and for good reason. Just three times had she been kept out of the placings in her past 11 starts.

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But a shot at the cup of Canberra's south will have to wait.

"She's a picture of consistency this mare. She's only missed the podium three times in her last 11 starts and her only true failure was in a strong Highway," Dryden said.

"[The Tuggeranong Cup is] a great initiative. Canberra is a big town so it's great to see the south get a race of its own."

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