BHA determines 'no issue' with racing surface at Newton Abbot following four fatalities last week

A British Horseracing Authority investigation into the deaths of four horses at Newton Abbot last week has concluded there were no issues with the track or surface to cause the incidents.

Happy Helen, Hallowed Rose, Bala Brook and Cuzzicombe died at the jumps fixture last Tuesday, after which the BHA committed to scrutinising the racing surface to determine the circumstances behind the fatalities.

In a statement released today the BHA stated: 

Following four fatalities at its most recent fixture, the BHA’s racecourse and veterinary teams have worked closely with colleagues at Newton Abbot to understand as best as possible the circumstances behind each incident.

The BHA’s Racecourse and Facilities Manager is satisfied that there was no issue with the racing surface or any other facility at the track that caused these incidents. This followed an inspection of conditions at Newton Abbot and a thorough assessment of the track’s racing surface maintenance records.

While the individual equine fatality reviews are ongoing, it has been determined that each injury was sustained in unique circumstances and there appears to be no external factor linking them. Newton Abbot’s record demonstrates how rare such occurrences are; in the last two full years, 2022 and 2023, a total of 1,524 runners competed at the track, resulting in three fatalities (defined as a horse being fatally injured as a direct result of their injuries on the raceday or within 48 hours of the raceday). This equates to a fatal injury rate of 0.20%, below the current national Jumps average of 0.42%.

In addition, a detailed investigation of the circumstances surrounding each fatality is being conducted by the Fatality Review Group. This process follows every fatality on all racedays.

The BHA and racecourse veterinary teams will, as always, be on hand at Friday’s meeting to ensure horses are in the best condition for racing, including by carrying out pre-race examinations for all runners.