Huge ITV Saturday races at Haydock deserted after gap found in observe
There was major drama at Haydock Park on Saturday as ITV Racing’s live coverage was hit by a dangerous hole found in the track, causing a meeting delay and hot favourite Friendly Soul to be pulled up
Jockeys, trainers, members of the BHA and ground staff inspect where a big hole has developed in the racing surface at Haydock Park Racecourse(Image: David Davies/PA Wire)
Saturday’s flagship ITV fixture at Haydock was postponed following the discovery of a hole in the centre of the track.
The card was due to showcase two crucial Royal Ascot trials, the Temple and Sandy Lane Stakes, both Group contests. The afternoon began with the Listed Hedge Of Oak Stakes, broadcast live on ITV Racing, for which the John and Thady Gosden-trained Friendly Soul was heavily fancied despite being absent since October 2024.
The mare was travelling well under Oisin Murphy when she seemed to stumble, prompting the champion jockey to pull her up immediately. Friendly Soul dropped back sharply and was withdrawn, though she was able to return on foot without needing urgent veterinary care.
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Stewards made their way down the course to examine the spot where the incident had taken place. They were accompanied by John Gosden and jockey Duran Fentiman, who tested the surface with a stick, reports the Mirror. It quickly became apparent that the stick penetrated far deeper in one particular area than elsewhere on the track.
Subsequent footage revealed a groundsman was able to plunge his arm into the cavity right up to his elbow. A comparable incident had occurred at Cheltenham in January. BHA stewards announced: “Delay to Race 2 at Haydock due to inspection.”
A group of stewards and jockeys assembled around the problem area alongside the clerk of the course for a more thorough assessment, after which it was determined the track was unsafe for racing. Clerk of the course Dan Cooper told ITV Racing: “In the first race Friendly Soul took a misstep so so straightaway we asked our team to go and look at the surface there. We would do it anytime.
“I suggested to the BHA stewards that straightaway this is formal inspection grounds, so we have just conducted that. We have looked at the track here and decided there is a significant drainage issue that has caused the misstep.
“Therefore this wouldn’t be safe to race on today was my advice to the BHA. They are going to conduct a formal inquiry now and decide what to do for the rest of the day.”
While a formal inquiry was underway, staff began preparing Haydock’s inner course as a potential alternative for the remainder of the meeting. Cooper subsequently explained an inspection of the inner track would be undertaken to determine whether it would be suitable for racing.
Nevertheless, it would only be capable of hosting races over the straight, such as the Temple and Sandy Lane Stakes. Races two, five and seven scheduled to be run around bends were cancelled. He said: “The decision is to go and have a look at the inner course and give that a track inspection.
“On the basis of having 150 horses on it in the last two days, there is a potential we run the straight races on that. We don’t think we have the resource to do sufficient bends at the correct race distances. The total hours it takes to do the work is 20 staff, three hours work. We haven’t got that.”
A similar issue delayed the concluding race to Cheltenham’s Trial’s day fixture in January and eventually led to the flagship jumps course abandoning their final three meetings of the 2025-26 season.
