Daily Mail

HUNTINGDON 1.30

- MARCUS TOWNEND

BHA officiAls have been embarrasse­d by another gaffe which caused a runner being withdrawn at Nottingham.

After being unruly in the stalls before the KfE leaders in frying Excellence Handicap, operative was withdrawn, but the starter erroneousl­y reported the horse to be withdrawn was Magic Pulse. This was transmitte­d to the off-course betting market as well as racegoers on track, before being corrected around 90 seconds later.

The confusion left course officials feeling they had to withdraw both horses. A BHA spokesman said: ‘it was the best of a number of bad options.’ David Griffiths, trainer of Magic Pulse, called it a ‘comedy of errors’. Brant Dunshea, the BHA’s chief regulatory officer, said: ‘ We are acutely aware of the impact that an incident of human error like this can have, not least on the connection­s of the horse.’

The BHA have endured a series of errors which have damaged their reputation. They included photo-finishes being judged erroneousl­y.

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