PONTEFRACT races have been abandoned after chaos reigned at the northern track – with a jockey rushed hospital and a car crash causing carnage.
Duran Fentiman suffered a suspected broken leg after being unshipped while going to post in the 3.45pm.
Racing delayed at Pontefract. Wishing Duran Fentiman all the best after he was unseated from Cangofar on the way to post pic.twitter.com/b4O9ecx3Dh
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 26, 2024
But he was delayed getting to hospital because the starting stalls were blocking the path of the ambulance.
Matters were further complicated by a car accident that took place outside the track as the ambulance was trying to leave.
Commentator Stewart Machine tried to explain what happened.
He said: “Thoughts go to Duran, it seems it’s a leg injury and hopefully nothing worse.
“As the situation evolved as far as I could ascertain from the commentary box the ambulance was about to leave the track but I don’t think it could get past the stalls at the start, which blocked the trackway.
“The RaceTech team had to move the stalls out the way, I think, and it’s only my interpretation, and then back into place.”
Host Graham Cunningham then confirmed a car accident had taken place – and that the meeting had been called off.
Norman Gundill, clerk of the course, said: “The medical team took quite a long time to stabilise Duran – the ambulance has taken him away now.
“There has been an accident on the road outside causing more complication.
“The vets decided the horses had been there so long and it was cold it was not in their best interest to run that race.
“For the rest of the card we needed a replacement ambulance but we couldn’t get anybody here in time, especially with it getting dark soon.
“The ambulance took so long because the stalls were covering the service track (which the ambulance needed to drive down).
“We couldn’t continue with racing because we couldn’t get another ambulance here.
“I’ve been here 50 years and never experienced anything like this.”
The race was abandoned a full 50 minutes later, ahead of the entire card being axed.
Matters were made all the more confusing as TV footage made it look as if the horses were racing when they were in fact running down the track en route back to the parade ring.
Horses had been circling the stalls at the start for almost an hour – and trainers were given permission to withdraw their runners if they wished.
Fentiman, who was believed to be conscious and talking, has been taken to Leeds General Infirmary.
Fentiman was riding two-year-old colt Cangofar to post when he was chucked off.
According to presenters on Racing TV, Fentiman, 38, suffered a suspected broken leg.
Cangofar, trained by Tim Easterby, was due to make his debut.
Incredibly, as TV cameras looked to show the horses racing in the 3.45pm, it was confirmed they were called back to the parade ring.
Presenter Rishi Persad said: “It looks as if they’re racing!
“There is uncertainty as to what is going on, but no indication of an imminent restart.
“There just returning to the parade ring we have been told – and the 3.45pm race has been abandoned!”
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