Overview
- Officials halted racing after Saturday's opening race when Friendly Soul appeared to take a false step and stewards inspected the surface.
- Inspection footage showed a cavity deep enough for a groundsman to push his arm in and trainers prodded the spot with a stick to confirm the defect.
- Clerk of the course Dan Cooper judged the drainage failure made the outer track unsafe and advised the British Horseracing Authority to open a formal inquiry.
- Races scheduled to run around bends, reported as races two, five and seven, were cancelled and staff prepared the inner straight to stage the Temple and Sandy Lane Stakes where possible.
- The episode echoes a January drainage failure at Cheltenham and raises fresh questions about track drainage, race scheduling and safety checks ahead of upcoming meetings.