Middle four races at Brighton's season finale abandoned due to false ground

Brighton course officials were forced to abandon four races on the East Sussex track's season-concluding seven-race card on Thursday due to a patch of false ground around the six-furlong marker.

However, the final race – a 5½f Class 5 handicap at 4.40pm – went ahead after a gap in the action of more than two and a half hours.

Officials called a snap inspection following the 6f novice at 1.55 after jockeys and trainers raised concerns about potentially dangerous terrain. Following the inspection, the third, fourth, fifth and sixth races, all over trips further than six furlongs, were abandoned.

Steve Drowne, BHA stipendiary steward, said: "The trainers and jockeys were concerned about the area of false ground.

"The course was walked this morning and everyone knew about the potential issue before the meeting, but horses circling around the start in the first two races seemed to exaggerate the problem to make the ground a little bit false.

"The last race goes ahead but all other scheduled races are abandoned."

The decision means that racegoers will be required to face a lull in proceedings, with no action scheduled for the lion's share of three hours.

Punters wait for the last in the members' grandstand bar

Trainer Tony Carroll had two intended runners in two of the cancelled races including record-breaking ten-time course winner Pour La Victoire in the mile handicap at 2.30, but praised the decision to run the last race on the card as scheduled.

"Clearly there was a patch that was unsafe so the right decision has been made," said Carroll. "I don't think it's too much of an issue waiting around for the last race. The horses have travelled down there and people have come a long way to see the action."

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