Ascot to bring in changes after being fined in wake of groundstaff incident

Ascot has amended its procedures with groundstaff making repairs to the running surface in the wake of the Sodexo Gold Cup incident which led to the track being fined £3,500 by the BHA disciplinary panel on Tuesday.

A member of the team was almost hit by the big-race runners on November 2 as the groundstaff repaired the track in-running with the use of forks.

Chris Stickels, clerk of the course at Ascot, said: "We have amended our procedures accordingly. Groundstaff will now have to wait until the end of the race to be given the all-clear by their supervisor being going on to the track to tread-in.

"Closer supervision will be given if they feel it necessary to tread-in during races."

Vinndication: winner of the Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot last monthCredit: Getty Images

The panel heard that the track at Ascot had incurred damage from the five previous races run on the card and a decision had been made for members of the groundstaff team to repair the track in-running.

Those members carried radios in order to warn each other as to the impending arrival of the runners but in spite of this one was nearly hit by the 16-runner field, only avoiding a collision when hearing shouts from the jockeys.

The panel surmised that in failing to ensure a surface that was fit for racing, Ascot had put the safety of both the groundstaff and the runners at risk with particular concern expressed about what might have transpired had a repair fork been dropped on the track.

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