Secretary’s error costs favourite big race chance

Backers of ante-post favourite Riders Onthe Storm were left to rue their misfortune as the horse was forced to miss today’s Caspian Caviar Gold Cup after being declared a non-runner in error.

Just after 9am yesterday, Weatherbys confirmed him a non-runner, with an infection put forward as the reason for the withdrawal. However, trainer Nigel Twiston-davies later revealed the horse had been mistakenly declared a non-runner.

He said: “In the wind, I was ringing up my secretary and said, ‘Can you take out Rocco’ [due to run at Bangor on Friday], but she misheard and took out Riders Onthe Storm. We knew straightaway and rang the BHA, but they said there is nothing they could do.

“There should be a bit more flexibility. Mistakes shouldn’t happen, but they do – she [the secretary] just pressed the wrong button.”

The British Horseracing Authority said in a statement: “Once a horse is declared a non-runner a notification is immediately published on the BHA website and the racing admin site, and distributed to numerous data feeds including the betting markets. A non-runner declaration cannot be withdrawn.”

Major blow: Nigel Twiston-davies’ Riders Onthe Storm misses out at Cheltenham

Cepage, who finished a fine second to Riders Onthe Storm on his seasonal return, can profit most from his enforced absence.

However, the best bet of the day could be Pagero (11.50 Doncaster), who won with a good deal in hand at Huntingdon. This track favours horses with speed and he races off the same mark today.