Stricken horse causes Scoop6 race to be voided

CONFUSION reigned at Doncaster on Saturday when the 2m handicap hurdle at 2.45, televised live on Channel 4, was declared void after a fatally injured runner blocked the path of the field.

The ill-fated Spanish Conquest, who had to be put down, broke a leg after landing over the first flight of the £25,000 betdaq.co.uk Handicap Hurdle and was dismounted by jockey Will Kennedy.

Screens were quickly erected around the injured horse, who was standing about a furlong from the winning post alongside the wing of the final fence, thereby preventing any diversion around what would be the final hurdle on the second circuit.

As the runners straightened for home, a man waving a luminous, light green flag, which denotes a void race, appeared on the course before the second-last flight.

Although several of the jockeys seemed at odds about what to do, several began to pull  up and others carried on at reduced speed after weaving around theobstacles in their path, until they passed the winning post.

Jockeys complained that the low sun made visibility poor in identifying the problem.

"The sunlight was glaring and it wasn't until after the second-last that I saw the flag to pull up," said Wayne Hutchinson.

Johnnie Farrelly said: "We knew there was a problem, but it wasn't until late on that we realised what the obstuction was about."

James Halliday said: "At the second-last, people were shouting  and screaming 'pull up. pull up', but it wasn't until we got to the last that we could see the screens were up."

A stewards' inquiry was quickly called and an announcement made that the race was void and that all bets should be refunded.

Stipiendary steward Adrian Shape said: "It was a good call by David Williams, the clerk of the course, who was on hand, and who quickly realised that there would be insufficent room on the run-in for the runners to bypass the stricken horse.

"There was some confusion among the jockeys, but the low sun made visibility tricky and although they could see the flag being waved, they were unable to make out the colour of it.

Sharpe added; "It was a very unfortunate incident, and no actionwas taken against any jockeys."