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Charlie Johnston

Charlie Johnston hits out over issues with racing surfaces after Haydock forced to abandon races


Charlie Johnston has hit at the ongoing issues with racing surfaces this season.

He was speaking from Haydock Park on Saturday, where the races on the round course were abandoned following a lengthy inspection after Friendly Soul stumbled and took a false-step after a hole opened up in the track during the William Hill Epic Boost British EBF Hedge Of Oak Stakes.

Thankfully she was reported to be sound afterwards.

And while watering played no part in the situation at Haydock Park, the Middleham trainer believes track management in general needs to be looked at closely.

“I had a runner in a £100,000 handicap and another in a £50,000 handicap," he said. "It is difficult to be too damning about the staff here in this isolated incident, but what no one can get away from is this is becoming a weekly occurrence in British racing.

"Whether it is Chester or Salisbury, it is happening every week. We have banged this drum for a long time, but the more they interfere and the more they water, and the more they try to play God the more issues they are having.

"What repercussions have Chester had for that debacle? Everyone else in this sport is quick to get fined or banned, but racecourses seem to be above reprimand by the BHA and they are making us look like a circus. It is about time the BHA took some action.

"It is making us look like an amateur sport and I think the BHA needs to be a lot more proactive in how the tracks are managing and being more involved in that process and penalising those that are doing a bad job of it."


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