How ITV got it wrong with coverage of Cyrname's plight

There have been few collective outpourings of relief to match that which greeted Cyrname’s rise from the sodden turf at Ascot on Saturday. It emanated from every conceivable quarter: from those connected with the horse right through to spectators on the racecourse. But perhaps the biggest exhalation came from the ITV Racing team on hand to cover the event.

For a while the team seemed likely to have to confront an issue that has proved all but impossible to reconcile. From Grand Prix pit lanes to boxing rings the world over, those called upon to justify the death of a participant in any sport are put in an invidious position.

It befalls racing pundits to do so more frequently than most. Jockeys are killed in falls; so too are horses, and two more perished on Saturday. Kachy broke down irretrievably at Lingfield while Alsa Mix failed to rise from a fall less than two hours before Cyrname eventually walked away from Ascot’s final fence.