Lingfield: Two races abandoned due to horse slipping on bend; fourth track in six days to have safety issues
Lingfield's issues make it a fourth time in six days that racing has been abandoned due to ground issues; Chester's Roman Day card on Saturday was cancelled after four races, following similar abandonments at Beverley on Wednesday and Haydock on Friday
Monday 30 May 2022 15:24, UK
Racing's abandonment issues have continued after two races on Lingfield's Monday flat card did not go ahead following ground safety concerns on the final bend.
In the opening race of the afternoon, Cu Chulainn, ridden by William Buick, slipped when taking the final bend before being eased in the final two furlongs, finishing last of the seven runners.
This led to an inspection of the surface on the final bend, with jockeys and stewards deciding to abandon the two races to be run on the round track.
The final four races, all on the straight course, were allowed to go ahead at the Surrey venue.
It is now the fourth time in six days that racing has been abandoned due to ground issues, with the latest coming at Chester on Saturday, following similar abandonments at Beverley on Wednesday and Haydock on Friday as tracks struggle with a combination of a long dry spell followed by periods of heavy rain.
Trending
- Transfer Centre LIVE! Should Rashford leave Man Utd? Have your say!
- Amorim: Man Utd are better with Rashford
- Man Utd latest: I want to get Rashford back to his best - Amorim
- McIlroy and Scheffler beat DeChambeau and Koepka in 'The Showdown'
- World Darts Championship schedule: Aspinall in action on Wednesday
- Usyk vs Fury 2: Start time, ring walks, undercard and odds
- VOTE: Does the Community Shield count towards Arteta's Arsenal tally?
- Rosberg offers advice to 2025 'favourite’ Norris
- Arsenal, Spurs, Man Utd, Newcastle all live on Sky - Why they need to win Carabao Cup
- Fury: I took Usyk's best shots, now he'll feel the wrath!
George Hill, Lingfield's Clerk of the Course, spoke to Sky Sports Racing during the meeting, admitting he was at a loss to how the horse slipped in the race.
"It's a difficult one - I haven't prepared the track any differently than I would have done in the last few weeks," he said.
"This is our fourth turf meeting this month and the track has been prepared the same way. It would've had more moisture on it today than for example three weeks ago.
"I'm scratching my head as to why that horse slipped in race one. It's something we will review.
"Unfortunately, it's just a situation where we have managed to lose race two and three as a result and I can only apologise to connections of those horses."
Martin Cruddace, CEO of Arena Racing Company, confirmed later in the afternoon that the British Horseracing Authority would not allow the races abandoned to be moved to the all-weather surface at Lingfield.
