Huntingdon Fiasco

Why does racing have a propensity to shoot itself in the foot?

With all the mud slinging and stigma following the collapse of the race fixing trial at the Old Bailey, you would think racing would keep a low profile and step up its PR.

Not at all. Huntingdon racecourse managed to upset both racing professionals and racegoers in a monumental way, with the late abandonment of it’s meeting on Thursday.

It was announced that the course was to hold a “precautionary” inspection at 9:30 following colder than expected overnight temperatures. However the course were optimistic about racing going ahead.

The 9:30 inspection took place and it was announced there would be a further inspection at 10:30 as there had been early morning fog and the sun had only just broken through.

The 10:30 inspection took place and the course was passed fit for racing. There was no mention of any further inspections.

When I arrived at the course around 11:30 it was immediately clear that the ground was not fit for racing, it still had plenty of frost in it. I wasn’t at all surprised when I was told there was to be an inspection at 12:00.

I was also equally unsurprised when, following the inspection, racing was abandoned.

Let me stress that I have absolutely no issue with the racing being called off, the track was not fit to race.

However I do have the following questions:-

• 
  Why was the first inspection called a “precautionary” inspection, when it was abundantly clear there was a severe frost in the ground?
• 
  On what basis were the comments about being optimistic to race made?
• 
  Why after the 10:30 inspection, when it was abundantly clear the ground was not fit to race, was it announced that racing had passed an inspection. Why wasn’t a further inspection announced instead?

I realise they are under a great deal of pressure to ensure the meeting goes ahead if at all possible, after all if the fixture is abandoned the courses lose money. That is still no excuse for messing around with racegoers and connections.

A simple answer would be for the BHA to introduce an instruction stating that if the course is not fit for racing two hours before the scheduled first race time then the meeting must be abandoned. It won't help everyone but it will prevent a significant number of wasted journeys.