The final race at Cheltenham on Saturday was run in near darkness and almost 30 minutes after the advertised start time after a hole, possibly caused by a collapsed drain, was discovered, leading to inspections and frantic reconfiguring of the course.
Horses were in the paddock for the Grade Two AIS Novices' Hurdle when it became apparent there was a problem as ground staff did routine repairing of the ground, leading to much deliberation and jockeys returning to the weighing room.
While the previous race had also taken place on the hurdles course, no runners had appeared to take a false step – but television pictures showed a member of ground staff putting his arm deep into what looked a significant hole.
Nicky Henderson withdrew likely favourite Act Of Innocence and when the race was eventually run it was the Joe Tizzard-trained Kripticjim who passed the post almost as one with Taurus Bay, with the judge able to separate them after a tense wait.
Tizzard said: "Garth and Anne (Broom, of owners Brocade Racing) were not here, Garth has just come out of hospital and Anne also hasn’t been very well and they were nervous watching it at home.
"The course team were keeping me updated and Garth especially was getting nervous when Nicky pulled Act Of Innocene out, but I felt if the racecourse team and the jockeys and trainers who went down there were happy with it, then I was happy with it.
"They weren’t going to take a silly risk, so I was always fine, but I did have some nervous owners watching on from home."
Ben Pauling, trainer of runner-up Taurus Bay, was eager to check the photo when it became apparent it was too dark for the photo to prove conclusive, so a decision was made from reviewing TV footage.
Pauling explained: "Basically from what I can work out, the photo you can’t see because it’s too dark so they have to use video footage and in my eyes that is conclusive Joe’s horse wins by a head.
"I heard there was a question over the technology so I just wanted to see it myself. It is what it is and I wanted the race on and it was simply too dark for the photo."
Kripticjim wins the finale in the gathering gloom 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/7fRqcIKbzS
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 24, 2026
On the delay, Pauling added: "Obviously we were called into the stewards’ room as a hole had appeared in a very awkward position right upsides the second-last fence where we are very narrow.
"I’m not going to say what it is as that is for the course, but there was a hole and first there was a discussion to not run the race. I think races like this are vital for horses’ preparations and we’ve just proven that and even though we haven’t won today that is the first time our horse has had a battle and he will have learned so much and will benefit for it next time out.
"When I went down, the ground staff had done a brilliant job, they had moved the rail to protect the hole and we felt it could come three yards further out and they would still have clear line of sight.
"Watching that race I don’t think anyone could say there was any noticeable jinking. I think we dealt with it the best we can and the fading light was another issue but no one has fallen, everyone is home safe and it’s a good result."
Taurus Bay’s owner Harry Redknapp has seen many things in sport, but even he was taken aback by the pre-race developments.
He said: "It was strange wasn’t it, it’s been a strange old day.
"I thought he got beat there at the finish, but I won a King George by a nose and I can’t have it all my way I suppose. He’s run well there and we’ll see how we go back here at the Festival.
"It’s just a shame it was all a bit of a mess and Nicky didn’t run did he, but everyone else went for it."
Interviewed by Lydia Hislop on Racing TV, clerk of the course Jon Pullin said: "It was a single hole, there weren’t any other holes. It was about a foot deep, there’s a gap underneath it, we moved off the area, checked the area we were due to race on and all participants were happy to carry on.
"It could be (a drainage hole), it’s too early to say at this stage. We need to do further work to understand exactly what has caused it. We were mindful (of the sunset), but that wasn’t a consideration until we had made the decision to carry on, after that we assessed what light we had left."
Pullin was shown a print of the final-race finish and conceded it was "not ideal". He added: "We need time to understand what has caused this incident and that is what we will start with straight away."
Meanwhile, Nicky Henderson has confirmed after veterinary assessment that Sir Gino suffered a fractured pelvis in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The six-year-old was the odds-on favourite in the Grade Two event and had been the ante-post market leader for the Champion Hurdle, but was forced to pull up just after halfway.
After being attended to by the on-course veterinary team, he was able to walk into the horse ambulance.
He had returned to action in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on Boxing Day after a year off the track enforced by a nasty infection in his leg which at one point had threatened his career.
However, he showed his engine was still intact there when beating the current champion Golden Ace with plenty to spare.
In an update on twitter on Saturday evening, Henderson said: "Sir Gino was transferred from Cheltenham to the Three Counties veterinary clinic and following scans and X-rays he does have a fractured pelvis. But having spoken to the great team that are caring for him they are hopeful that although this is obviously significant they have reported that he is comfortable and stable. This is great news to us all."
