Newcastle clerk hits back after trainers criticise 'frustrating' cancellation

Newcastle’s late abandonment of its all-weather fixture on Saturday was mired in controversy as clerk of the course Eloise Quayle insisted the surface racing professionals felt was “frozen” and “unsafe” was in fact raceable.

The meeting was cancelled less than 30 minutes before the first race after a delegation of trainers, jockeys, course executives and vets examined the racing surface and declared it unfit.

At 12.20pm the track updated the going description as 'Standard', without any hint of what was to come. By 12.34pm an inspection was announced, along with the news that the opening race – the first of five to be broadcast by ITV – would be pushed back ten minutes from its scheduled off time of 1.09pm. However, at 1.02pm, the meeting was called off.

With Cheltenham and Doncaster lost due to frozen ground, along with the day’s other jumps meeting at Hereford, all eyes were on Newcastle, which was due to provide all of the day's ITV Racing coverage. What followed descended into a war of words as jockeys and trainers were critical of Newcastle’s communication of the problem and the late timing of the inspection.

But Quayle maintained even after the meeting had been lost that there was no problem with the surface. "We've done absolutely everything that we could in preparation for this meeting,” she said. “The track has been worked since Thursday; this morning it's been going on since first light. We've been working endlessly to keep it mobile.

Eloise Quayle: 'We've got to take into account other people's opinions'Credit: Nigel Kirby Photography

“There isn't much moisture in the surface having ripped it and we don't feel there has been a problem with freezing. But we've got to take into account other people's opinions and it has to be taken seriously if there are any doubts.

“We've come to the conclusion that they didn't want to race on it and that is fine.”

Riders and trainers were unanimous however that the surface was frozen and unsafe. Jockey Cieren Fallon said: “It was the right decision; the track is frozen. It's very frustrating on our behalf but for the safety of all the horses and jockeys it's the right thing to do.”

Trainer Michael Dods added: "I only got here when they were having the inspection. I had a walk out and it was quite clear it was not raceable. I don't think there was any doubt it wasn't fit to race.”

Dods’s fellow trainer Katie Scott agreed. "I went and had a look at the track and if it'd been on we wouldn't have run. It wasn't safe. I'm just a bit disappointed we weren't made aware earlier there was an issue," she said.

“It's very frustrating and at the end of the day I'm going to have to bill my owner for transport, which is awkward and not a nice thing to have to do, but we did drive the horse down to the races and pay staff.

“It can't be avoided and we'd never want to race if it was unsafe, but we arrived and didn't even know there was an inspection. It was all a bit behind the bridle.”

Senior rider Paul Mulrennan, who was part of the inspection party, said: “It's disappointing it's off for everyone who's gone up, but you can't beat the weather. Hopefully they can get it sorted for tomorrow but the track was frozen and it wasn’t safe, so what can you do?

“It's disappointing, it was a big day for Newcastle. They were going to be the only racing televised on ITV and they couldn't get it right, so let's hope they get it sorted for tomorrow.”

The surface at Newcastle shortly after the meeting was called offCredit: John Grossick Racing

Chief steward Adrian Smith, speaking to Sky Sports Racing, said: “We found that the surface where it is fluffed up is fine, but as soon as you go down an inch it appears the ground is frozen. It's very firm underneath, and unanimously, the jockeys and trainers all said it wasn't safe for horses to race on it.

“When you get this type of temperature any moisture just turns solid and everyone was of the opinion it wasn't safe. At the end of the day, the safety of jockeys and horses is the most important thing.”

The two sides will have to reconcile quickly however with Newcastle due to stage a fixture on Sunday, with the first race scheduled at 12.08pm, although an inspection has been called for 7.30am.

Quayle is hopeful the meeting will go ahead. She said: "We're going to review today for tomorrow's fixture, and tomorrow morning, and make sure we are in a better place.

“We're looking at different ways we can rip the track but we're just going to be fighting against the temperature. We can't beat the weather but we can do our best, and that's what we're going to do."

More thoughts from racing professionals

Rebecca Menzies, trainer
“It's disappointing. We put a lot of effort into our gallops at home and in my opinion the weather hasn't been that bad; we've been able to keep two gallops open all week to exercise the horses and we do that all year round. It was disappointing it wasn't recognised sooner, then something could have been done about it perhaps. Hopefully they can put something in place for tomorrow's meeting. I only had one runner, the outsider of three in a really valuable race. It's not the end of the world but for the people who've travelled up I imagine it's been a very expensive day for them.”

Jason Hart, rider
“I wasn't part of the inspection so I'm not the best placed to comment on that as I was in the weighing room. Obviously it's frustrating, I had three rides and a strong chance, but when the weather's like that the weather's like that. But when it's an all-weather surface it's frustrating.”

PJ McDonald, rider
“I didn't get there until late on and the lads were inspecting as I got there. I got a few calls on my way there to say it was frozen and I spoke to the clerk of the course when I got there and asked had they been working it and she said they've done everything they could. She said to me they couldn't have done any more and who am I to argue with them if they think they've done all they can. We've just got to learn from it and move on.”

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