Racing Abandonment 28th May FAQs

Racing Abandoned FAQ – 28 May

Why was racing abandoned on Saturday?

We are hugely disappointed for racegoers, owners and trainers by the abandonment of racing on Saturday and share the frustration.

Racing was abandoned due to concerns from jockeys regarding the ground.

The ground had been carefully prepared by an experienced grounds team, under the guidance of one of the most experienced Clerks of the Course in the industry. After the abandonments at other courses earlier in the week the Clerk and Ground staff took further measures to mitigate the risk of slippage.

However a horse fell on the home bend during the fourth race. The British Horseracing Authority stewards inspected the course and held an inquiry with jockeys, trainers and racecourse representatives. The BHA concluded that the meeting should be abandoned.

The welfare of jockeys and horses is our first priority and we fully accept and respect the decision of the BHA Stewards.

We will be consulting with the BHA and the other racecourses that abandoned for similar reasons during the week to understand what more can be done to avoid this happening in the future.

We would like to reassure customers that abandonment of racing is rare in flat racing.

Who made the decision to abandon racing?

The decision to abandon racing ultimately sits with the sports governing body, the British Horseracing Authority.  The BHA Stewards are present at every race fixture across the country and ensure the safety of jockeys and horses, and the integrity of the sport.

Will I be refunded for my ticket?

Unfortunately we are unable to refund tickets after the feature race of the day. However, we have contacted customers, bookmakers, owners and jockeys to make a gesture of goodwill to counteract the disappointment that the curtailment of racing may have caused.

Why were customers at Haydock Racecourse refunded?

Haydock was abandoned after the second race, which meant racegeors were entitled to a refund. Due to racing at Chester being abandoned after the fourth and feature race at Chester, we are unable to offer a refund at this time.

Will there be any compensation for owners, trainers and stable staff?

We have contacted owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff regarding compensation for the abandoned races.

Will bets for the fifth, sixth and seventh race be refunded?

All bets for the fifth, sixth and seventh race were void and will be refunded in full if they haven’t already.

When was racing last abandoned at Chester?

Race abandonment is rare in flat racing and has not happened at Chester since 2012 which was due to flooding. Racing has not been abandoned at Chester in recent years due to ground conditions.

Does the abandonment have any link to the abandonments at Beverley and Haydock last week?

As far as we are aware, there is no link with the abandonments at the three tracks. The BHA Stewards carried out independent inspections on the tracks and each incident was isolated. However in these circumstances it is always helpful to share knowledge and we are speaking to the tracks who also had to abandon in the days prior.

Will this impact the next race fixture on Saturday 11 June?

We will return to racing as normal on 11 June and this abandonment will not impact the fixture. The ground staff will complete the restorative work needed after the days racing in readiness for this fixture.

Where can I find your terms and conditions?

Our terms and conditions page can be found here. Information on our abandonment policy can be found on clause 16.

Why didn’t you say all of this sooner?

After the announcement was made that racing for the day was abandoned our priority was to communicate to customers on site and ensure they had the opportunity to continue to enjoy their day whilst ensuring that those leaving early could safely do so.

We have taken the time since to consider the impact of the abandonment on our customers and assess any financial loss to our clients, sponsor, owners, trainers, jockeys and bookmakers at the fixture. We are sorry that this took longer than expected.