Musselburgh race voided after Squouateur suffers fatal injury

Three-mile hurdle stopped at the Scottish venue.

A race at Musselburgh was declared void after Squouateur suffered a fatal injury during the Ken McGarrity Racing Supports The IJF Handicap Hurdle.

The eight-year-old, trained by Ben Haslam, went wrong on the paddock bend on the first circuit of the three-mile contest and was attended to by the track’s veterinary team.

The race was stopped on the second circuit when the remaining runners turned into the straight.

Jockeys were alerted by three flagmen placed at strategic parts of the course and were able to pull their horses up in plenty of time before they reached the paddock bend.

The stewards held an inquiry into why the ‘stop-race’ flag was deployed and were satisfied that due to Squouateur suffering an injury, there was no room for the race to continue.

The stewards were further satisfied that all procedures were carried out correctly and the jockeys were able to pull up without incident.

As the yellow ‘stop-race’ flag was deployed, the stewards declared the race void.

“The horse suffered a fatal injury on the sand bend on the first circuit so there was no way, once we put the screens up, the race could continue, so we stopped the race which obviously meant it was a void race,” said clerk of the course, Harriet Graham.

“You have to work really quickly. We do lots of training on non-race days. We’ve got strict protocols and it just shows it happens once in a blue moon, but it actually worked, though everybody is upset at what happened.”

Jockey Richie McLernon was unscathed.

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