To make up for Wednesday's meeting that was abandoned after Happy Valley was drenched in a downpour, Jockey Club stewards have decided to add a replacement meeting on June 29.

As such, instead of ending the season on Sunday, June 26, with a 10-race meeting at Sha Tin, it will draw to a close on June 29 at Happy Valley with a seven-race program.

The Jockey Club needs the extra meeting as the HK$62.6 billion projected turnover for the 2004-05 season is already the lowest in 12 years.

Without the make-up meeting, the total would have been less than HK$62 billion. ``It is unfortunate but, apparently, the government turned down a request for a meeting on July 2 or July 3,'' a senior source said.

The last racing day of each season is normally a festive occasion with electronic displays, parades and jockeys saying farewell to punters. It also sees the crowning of the champion trainer, champion jockey and champion apprentice.

The source said the crowning of the three champions could still be held on June 26 as the leaders in each section are well clear of their rivals and the extra meeting would not make a difference.

The club is also likely to go ahead with the annual Champions Awards on the evening of June 25, when the best horses in the various categories are recognised.

But the jockeys' parade and fireworks display are likely to be held over for the June 29 meeting.

``The sad thing about ending the season on a Wednesday night instead of a Sunday afternoon will be the crowd,'' the source said.

``We would normally have expected at least 40,000 people to turn out for the last meeting of the season, but now we will be lucky if there are more than 20,000.''

According to the source, the club's stewards decided to go ahead with the extra meeting on a weekday when it was pointed out that it could still generate a turnover in excess of HK$700,000, which would provide the club with additional revenue of about HK$35 million - not to mention the government's tax of about HK$85 million.