Back to business at Newbury Racecourse after horse tragedies

Rescheduled Totesport Trophy Day set to go ahead today (Friday) after two horses were electrocuted on Saturday

FOLLOWING its most difficult week in over 100 years of illustrious history, racing returns to Newbury Racecourse today as the venue tries to move on from the terrible events of last Saturday in which two horses died in the parade ring after being electrocuted.

The joint managing director of the racecourse, Stephen Higgins (pictured), admitted shortly before the gates opened for the rescheduled Totesport Trophy Day today (Friday), that it had been a tough week for him personally as well as his team, but he said he was confident the racecourse would put the incident which led to the death of two horses, Marching Song and Fenix Two, on Saturday (12), behind it.

He said: “I am absolutely confident we can bounce back, it has been difficult and stressful but the whole team here have dealt with the matter in a calm and professional manner. We want to reassure people that this was very much an isolated incident, and we have an impeccable safety record."

A post mortem revealed yesterday (Thursday) that the horses were both electrocuted, and that a rogue electrical cable in the vicinity had caused the charge.

Southern Electric Power Distribution, which is also investigating the incident, recently removed the cable and has assured Newbury Racecourse that the site was safe for both horses and humans.

A full investigation regarding the causes and circumstances that led to the incident is being undertaken by Southern Electric and the British Horseracing Authority and until these reports are available, the racecourse has said it will not be drawn on speculation.

Mr Higgins said that despite the tragedy, relations between the racecourse and the owners and jockeys was strong, and that the his team continued to liaise with them as much as possible.

“We gave them a copy of the report before we published details because we wanted to make sure they were fully briefed before they heard it elsewhere,” he said.

“We have been here for over a hundred years and are an important part of the local community, we are very much a local venue and the community is very important to us. It has been heartening to see the support we have had in the form of letters and emails from everyone.”

Mr Higgins said it was “back to business” for the racecourse today, and that he hoped for a normal day's racing.

The remaining races from Saturday's Totesport Trophy Day programme are to be run today, with the first starting at 12.10pm.