INVESTIGATIONS are continuing at Newbury after a section of electricity cable was removed from the paddock area yesterday following the death of two horses at the course on Saturday.
Fenix Two and Marching Song were ready to be mounted by their jockeys on the grass in the parade ring prior to the first race when they both within seconds of each other fell to the ground and died.
Two others, Kid Cassidy and The Merry Giant, were also affected in the incident but survived.
The meeting was subsequently abandoned on safety grounds as connections of the stricken horses suspected they may have suffered from some form of electric shock.
Yesterday Stuart Hogarth, operations director for Southern Electric Power Distribution, said: “Following yesterday’s unprecedented event, a full investigation is already under way.
“A section of electricity cable has been removed from the paddock area for further detailed inspection.
“Our initial on-site investigations last night confirm there was no danger to the public.”
Stephen Higgins, joint managing director of Newbury racecourse, said: “We will wait for further information to be provided to us by Southern Electric Power Distribution who we are in daily contact with. We have been reassured that the site is safe and we hope that the final results of this investigation will be established as soon as possible.
“Once again, we extend all our condolences to the connections of those horses affected”.
The first race on the card, the Bet totepool On 0800 221 221 Novices’ Hurdle went ahead, but Kid Cassidy was withdrawn at the start, while The Merry Giant ran but was tailed off. He was said to be “badly traumatised” straight after the race.
Talks are on-going over whether the card can be rescheduled and on his Twitter page, British Horseracing Authority head of communications Paul Struthers said: “No further comment from BHA until 2moro in relation to Newbury – either on investigation (inc post-mortems) or on possible rescheduling.”
Despite some of the reports circulating, Struthers added: “Just to be clear re @NewburyRaces not one vet, trainer or jockey mentioned anything about burn marks in, b4 or after official enquiry.”
BHA chief executive Nic Coward stated that investigations were on-going. He said: “This was a tragic incident and our thoughts have to be with the connections.
“Once the incident had taken place racecourse officials got together with trainers, jockeys and owners and I think in difficult and freakish circumstances, they had some difficult decisions to make and made the right ones.
“Obviously Newbury are still in close contact with investigators they have there carrying out inspections, trying to work out what really happened.
“It is premature to describe in detail what happened because that would be speculation, but fingers are being pointed at some kind of electrical fault. Post-mortems are also being carried out.
“I think we should stress that racecourses have a very strong track record of dealing with all of these issues at the track in the interest of welfare – the horse, the jockey, trainers, owners and the customer.”
TODAY’S NAP: Waterloo Corner (2.50pm Catterick).
