Chaos at Cheltenham as Track Issue and Fading Light Mar Festival Trials Day Finale
The concluding race of Cheltenham's Festival Trials Day card descended into chaos, with a delayed start and a photo finish rendered indecipherable by poor light. Trainer Ben Pauling, representing former football manager Harry Redknapp's horse Taurus Bay, has graciously accepted defeat after the tumultuous events.
Race Delayed After Discovery of Hazardous Hole in Track
The Grade Two AIS Novices' Hurdle was thrown into disarray before it even began. Officials discovered a hole in the track near the second-last fence, prompting an immediate inspection. The start was delayed by nearly thirty minutes as clerk of the course Jon Pullin, alongside trainers and jockeys with runners in the race, assessed the safety of the ground.
Ben Pauling was among the professionals consulted. He later explained, "We were called into the stewards room because a hole appeared in a very awkward position, right upsides the second last fence where it is very narrow. At first there was a discussion to not run the race."
After deliberation, the decision was made to proceed. Ground staff moved a section of rail to bypass the compromised area, creating a new racing line. Pauling praised their efforts, stating, "When I went down the groundstaff had done a brilliant job. They moved the rail to protect the hole... I think we have dealt with it as best we can." All parties, including the British Horseracing Authority, declared the conditions safe for racing to continue.
Fading Light Obscures Crucial Photo Finish, Forcing Video Review
When the 2m4½f contest finally got underway, a new challenge emerged. As the race concluded at 4.43pm, the fading winter light made the traditional photo finish print virtually impossible to read for the tight battle between Taurus Bay and the winner, Kripticjim.
This forced officials to rely on video footage to determine the result. Ben Pauling acknowledged the outcome after reviewing the tapes himself. He said, "From what I can work out, the photo you can't see because it's too dark so they have to use the video footage which in my eyes is conclusive. If you watch the race Kripticjim wins by a head. I just heard there was a question over the technology so I just wanted to see for myself."
Pauling emphasised the importance of the race for his horse's development, despite the complications. "I think races like this are vital to the preparation and we have proved that. This is the first time our horse had a battle," he added.
Reactions from the Winning Camp and an Impending Investigation
The victory was a nervy affair for the connections of Kripticjim. His trainer, Joe Tizzard, revealed that owners Garth and Anne Broom were "nervous watching it at home." Tizzard expressed his trust in the racecourse team's safety assessment, stating, "I felt that if the racecourse team and the jockeys and trainers who went down were happy with it, I was too. They weren't going to take a silly risk."
The day was further disrupted for top trainer Nicky Henderson, who withdrew his intended runner, Act Of Innocence, and left the course with jockey Nico de Boinville.
An official investigation into the track incident is now set to be launched by clerk of the course Jon Pullin and his team. This scrutiny comes at a critical time, with the prestigious Cheltenham Festival just over six weeks away. A racecourse spokesperson confirmed the sequence of events, noting the inspection was called immediately upon concerns being raised and that all parties were satisfied with the safety measures implemented before the race proceeded after the delay.
