Strong winds have forced the abandonment of the Geelong Cup meeting, with the remaining races to be run on Thursday.

Racing was halted after three events on Wednesday before Racing Victoria confirmed the postponement shortly after 3pm. The six unrun races, including the feature Geelong Cup (2400m) and the Geelong Classic (2200m), will proceed at the same scheduled times on Thursday.

RV’s Head of Racing, Paul Bloodworth, said the rescheduled meeting would benefit from calmer conditions. “The weather forecast is much better with only light winds and no rain about,” he told racing.com.

Earlier, steward Cory Waller said wind gusts of up to 76km/h had been recorded at the Geelong track, creating unsafe conditions for riders and horses.

The Geelong Cup offers a ballot exemption for the Melbourne Cup, with The King’s runner Gilded Water among the key contenders.