Fakenham forced to abandon Wednesday card due to safety concerns after horse slips rounding bend

Racing was abandoned at Fakenham on Wednesday following a dramatic running of the opening 2m maiden hurdle in which a runner slipped on the bend due to significant rainfall.

A severe downpour hit the Norfolk track shortly before the opening race which led to Wise Guy, ridden by Ciaran Gethings, slipping and bringing down the Olly Murphy-trained Borodale under Sean Bowen.

Both runners and riders were soon on their feet but the incident prompted an inspection from jockeys, trainers and racecourse staff, who called off the remaining five races shortly after.

How the incident unfolded

Wise Guy (circled) races prominently in the openerCredit: Racing TV

Wise Guy, ridden by Ciaran Gethings, begins to slipCredit: Racing TV

Wise Guy slips and sends Gethings to the groundCredit: Racing TV

Wise Guy's slip-up causes problems for runners in behindCredit: Racing TV

The incident results in Borodale being brought downCredit: Racing TV

"We had a very, very heavy rainstorm just as jockeys were getting on to their horses and that's what has caused the problem," Fakenham clerk David Hunter told Racing TV. "It hasn't had a chance to get into the ground and has just created this slippiness.

"We had to be pragmatic and it's a really sad day for Fakenham – 27 years and I've never had anything like this. It's desperate but we had to do what was correct for horse and jockey welfare. If that rain had come half an hour earlier it would have soaked into the ground and we would have been riding on soft ground and the horses could get their toe in.

"Everyone has been completely understanding, they're as gutted as we are as we're a course that tends to be able to race when others can't.

"There's always a concern at this time of year with lush grass but we sanded the track before racing and it's just really hard luck. It's very sad but safely has to come first. While it's knocked the feet out from under us, we'll get up back and running and see if we can get an extra fixture in the schedule."

The going was good to soft in advance of abandonment at the Norfolk track, which was staging its first meeting since June after their October 20 fixture was called off due to excessive rain.

The race was won by the Jamie Snowden-trained Roger Pol, who opened his account over hurdles at the second time of asking under Gavin Sheehan.

The five-year-old is a dual bumper winner and managed to prevail in the trying conditions by two and three-quarter lengths from Call The Dance, despite Sheehan reporting his runner to have slipped several times during the race.

Read more:

'We think he's a little bit special' - has Constitution Hill's point-to-point trainer found another star? 

Down Royal's Champion Chase meeting this weekend under threat as heavy rain leaves track unraceable 

Get set for the jumps! Join Members' Club now with 50% off just in time for the Big Jump Off and our brilliant stable tours 

Do you want £400+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.