Sandown Result

The middle railway fence to be omitted for this race due to being damaged in the previous race.

An enquiry was held to consider why Neil Mulholland was running CAROLE’S DESTRIER here at Sandown on going described as Soft, Good to Soft in places, having declared the gelding a non-runner at Sandown on 10 November 2019 on ground with the same official description.

The trainer stated that the owner wished to run on this occasion as they were running out of opportunities for the gelding.

Hugh Nugent, the rider of Houblon Des Obeaux (FR), had fallen rounding the final bend on the first circuit.

After viewing a recording of the incident, it was found that no other horse or rider was involved and the incident was caused by the gelding sustaining an injury.

An enquiry was held to consider the circumstances surrounding the deployment of the yellow ‘stop race’ flag shortly after rounding the final bend on the final circuit.

The Clerk of the Course, the Head Groundsman, Jamie Moore, the rider of Step Back (IRE), Daryl Jacob, the rider of DRAGON D’ESTRUVAL (FR), Adam Wedge, the rider of Sharp Response (IRE), Stan Sheppard, the rider of Coningsby (GB), Harry Skelton, the rider of Get On The Yager (GB), James Davies, the rider of Dark Flame (IRE), and Philip Donovan, the rider of Doing Fine (IRE), were interviewed and shown recordings of the incident.

Being a 7lb claiming conditional, Donovan was represented in the enquiry by the trainer.

All seven riders were suspended for 10 days for failing to pull up after the ‘stop race’ flag had been deployed and, in light of this ‘stop race’ flag being deployed the Stewards declared the race void.