HUNTINGDON 1.30
BHA officiAls have been embarrassed by another gaffe which caused a runner being withdrawn at Nottingham.
After being unruly in the stalls before the KfE leaders in frying Excellence Handicap, operative was withdrawn, but the starter erroneously reported the horse to be withdrawn was Magic Pulse.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.