'Small fields are pretty widespread' - Haydock clerk bemoans match race

Haydock's clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright has expressed his disappointment at there being a match race at the track on Saturday but described small field sizes as a more widespread problem for the sport.

The 1m2½f Betway Casino Handicap was reduced to two runners after Glentaneous was redirected to the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket. That left Pride Of Priory to defeat Fairmac by four and a half lengths, with the pair sent off 10-11 joint-favourites.

British racing has been blighted by small fields in the second half of the summer. Between August 1 and September 24 this year, 18.44 per cent of races in Britain had five runners or fewer, the highest figure since 1996. The average field size was 8.33, the lowest since BHA records began in 1995.

"The problem is not limited to Haydock and smallish fields are pretty widespread at the moment," said Tellwright. "I can't remember the last time we had a match race on the Flat and it's a disappointment.

Kirkland Tellwright: 'The problem is not limited to Haydock'Credit: Alan Crowhurst

"If the ground was easier, I dare say we'd have bigger fields – it's quick for the time of year. I think those horses wanting quick ground have already had plenty of opportunities. When nature produces easier ground, I'm sure there will be horses to fill the races better."

Haydock was set to stage a Sky Bet Sunday Series meeting on August 8 but it was moved to September 12 due to waterlogging.

"The Sunday Series fixture was rescheduled to take place five weeks later than planned and it's been put into competition with the closing race in a way it wouldn't have in its original slot," added Tellwright.

A higher percentage of races with five or fewer runners have been contested this year than at any point in the last quarter of a century,which last month prompted trainer Stuart Williams to call for a restructured fixture list.

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