RACING NEWBURY INCIDENT:A SECTION of electricity cable has been removed from the paddock area at Newbury following the death of two horses at the course on Saturday.

Fenix Two and Marching Song were about to be mounted by their jockeys on the grass on the far side of the parade ring prior to the first race when they fell to the ground and died, while Kid Cassidy and The Merry Giant were also affected.

Speculation from the connections of the stricken horses was that they may have suffered from some form of electric shock. Stuart Hogarth, operations director for Southern Electric Power Distribution, said: “Following yesterday’s unprecedented event, a full investigation is already under way.

“A section of electricity cable has been removed from the paddock area for further detailed inspection. Our initial on-site investigations last night confirm there was no danger to the public.”

Stephen Higgins, joint managing director of Newbury racecourse, said: “We will wait for further information to be provided to us by Southern Electric Power Distribution who we are in daily contact with. We have been reassured that the site is safe and we hope that the final results of this investigation will be established as soon as possible. Once again, we extend all our condolences to the connections of those horses affected.”

The Bet totepool On 0800 221 221 Novices’ Hurdle went ahead, with Kid Cassidy being withdrawn at the start. The Merry Giant did line up but finished tailed off and was reported to be “badly traumatised” in the immediate aftermath of the contest.

The remainder of the meeting was abandoned on health and safety grounds and talks are on-going about whether the card can be rescheduled.

Speaking on his Twitter page, British Horseracing Authority head of communications Paul Struthers said: “No further comment from BHA until 2moro in relation to Newbury – either on investigation (inc post-mortems) or on possible rescheduling.”

Rumours of horses suffering burn marks were rife yesterday, but Struthers added: “Just to be clear re NewburyRaces not one vet, trainer or jockey mentioned anything about burn marks in, b4 or after official enquiry.”

Earlier, BHA chief executive Nic Coward had stated that investigations were on-going. “This was a tragic incident and our thoughts have to be with the connections,” Coward told BBC Radio Five Live. “Once the incident had taken place racecourse officials got together with trainers, jockeys and owners and I think in difficult and freakish circumstances, they had some difficult decisions to make and made the right ones.

“Obviously Newbury are still in close contact with investigators they have there carrying out inspections, trying to work out what really happened.

“It is premature to describe in detail what happened because that would be speculation, but fingers are being pointed at some kind of electrical fault. Post-mortems are also being carried out. I think we should stress that racecourses have a very strong track record of dealing with all of these issues at the track in the interest of welfare – the horse, the jockey, trainers, owners and the customer.

“Racecourses are doing all they can and at the moment I think we should look at this as a bizarre moment that people who have been around racing for decades and decades have never seen the like. Courses are very vigilant and owners and trainers are very vigilant always. People across the country have seen this happen and their feelings will be for the connections of the horses.”

Kid Cassidy’s trainer Nicky Henderson believes his charge is “extremely lucky” to have escaped death in the incident after he briefly collapsed before climbing back to his feet. “It was something that none of us have ever seen before and we hope never to see again,” Henderson said.