Newbury reschedule fixture for Friday after horse deaths

Newbury's abandoned meeting on Saturday is poised to be rescheduled for this Friday.

The jumps fixture, featuring the totesport Trophy, was called off following just one race after two horses lost their lives in the parade ring.

Fenix Two and Marching Song were about to be mounted by their jockeys on the grass on the far side of the paddock before the first race when they fell to the ground and died.

Speculation has been rife since the horrific events the horses may have suffered from some form of electric shock. However, officials at the Berkshire venue are confident the course is now fit for racing.

Stephen Higgins, joint managing director of Newbury, said: "It has been a difficult week so far for all involved with Saturday's traumatic events. Having received confirmation from Southern Electric Power Distribution that the paddock site is safe for both horses and people, we are confident that racing should resume.

"We have been in talks with the BHA and our sponsors the Tote and AON, with regard to rescheduling the remaining races from Saturday's card and it is our intention for them to take place on Friday, 18 February. Restaging the fixture is an expensive, but necessary exercise and we are very grateful to the BHA and the title sponsors, the Tote, AON, as well as the Horsemen and The Levy Board with whom we have worked closely and our racegoers who have been enormously supportive."

The British Horseracing Authority have authorised the rescheduling pending receipt of written confirmation from Newbury Racecourse that there are no outstanding issues and the satisfactory review of the post-mortem and samples taken from the affected horses.

The results of the post-mortem were expected to have been revealed yesterday, but have since been delayed. The seven remaining races from Saturday's card are due to take place, with racing set to commence at 12.10pm.

Two other horses on Saturday, the Nicky Henderson-trained Kid Cassidy and The Merry Giant, were also affected in the incident at the weekend, but have since recovered.

Henderson said: "Following Saturday's extraordinary event at Newbury, firstly our condolences go out to the connections of Marching Song and Fenix Two, secondly I am pleased to report our vet checked Kid Cassidy on Saturday evening and all is fine with him. No-one would ever wish to see a repeat of last Saturday's tragic events.Equine along with human safety is foremost in everyone's mind who is involved with horseracing.

"I feel it's important that racing at the course should resume and I whole-heartedly support Newbury's and the BHA's decision to restage the remaining races."

Champion jumps trainer Paul Nicholls welcomed the news, adding: "We support 100 per cent the decision to race on Friday at Newbury racecourse and we will be sending our runners to this fixture."

Meanwhile, Donald McCain will not risk Peddlers Cross in the Victor Chandler Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso on Thursday if the ground is heavy.

The unbeaten six-year-old was forced to miss his intended Champion Hurdle prep when Haydock's Champion Hurdle Trial was abandoned due to frost. He also held options in recent events at Sandown and Ffos Las but coughed in the days before. McCain has instead given him options at the Borders track and in Wincanton's Kingwell Hurdle on Saturday, but his participation at the former venue hinges on the ground. "He's not certain to go to Kelso just yet," said McCain. "I'd like to run but I certainly wouldn't run him in bottomless ground, that certainly wouldn't suit him. I might just decide to sit tight, we'll see. He's also in at Wincanton."

Peddlers Cross is as low as 9-2 for the Champion Hurdle on the first day of the Festival.