Newmarket denies Johnston stable staff claims at concert

Claims by top trainer Mark Johnston that stable staff leading up horses were denied access to certain areas at Newmarket last Friday night because they did not possess the correct passes have been rejected by the track's supremo Amy Starkey.

Space was at a premium on Newmarket's July Course as a 22,000 sellout crowd packed in for the racing – during which Frankie Dettori rode his 3,000th winner in Britain – and concert by chart-topper Jess Glynne.

Johnston, who saddled Highly Sprung to win the 6f handicap, wrote on his blog: "Staff bringing horses for the last race, some with a horse in one hand, were denied access because they didn’t have their stable passes with them. The lady on the gate feared that they were trying to sneak in to see Jess Glynne without paying."