Chepstow races switch after falls

More than £1m in prize money is on offer at Chepstow this year

Racing at Chepstow has been switched to Bath for next week amid concerns about the ground at the south Wales course.

Friday's meeting was abandoned after only one race when jockey Pat Dobbs fell and was taken to hospital.

Last Monday another rider, Sam Hitchcott, received fractured ribs after falling at a similar spot.

Course clerk Tim Long said trainers had expressed their concerns. The ground will be treated and it is hoped racing can resume on 19 September.

In the interests of horses and jockeys' safety, this was a necessary procedure Chepstow clerk of the course Tim Long

Dobbs fell from Richard Hannon's Roll The Dice in the "Brightwells" The Bloodstock Auctioneers Maiden Auction Stakes.

He has now been released from the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport with a badly bruised back, but must return for further X-rays to learn the full extent of the damage.

"Pat's a bit stiff and sore but he is okay," said Richard Hannon Jnr.

"It was a nasty fall but we'll obviously know more after he goes back to hospital."

Dobbs, here riding Soonest in 2003, will have to return to hospital

Roll The Dice suffered a broken back after the incident and had to be put down.

The following race, the westcountryracing.com Affordable Racing Syndicates Claiming Stakes, was delayed as the stewards held an inspection and an inquiry with jockeys and trainers, before the rest of the card was abandoned.

'Serious irrigation'

The switch of next Thursday's racing to Bath will allow the ground to be irrigated to encourage root growth on parts of the track.

"This decision was made really in response to conversations with trainers who have a lot of horses running this time of the year," said Mr Long.

"They expressed their concerns, and in the interests of horses and jockeys' safety, this was a necessary procedure.

"We need to get some serious irrigation done to encourage root growth in the isolated areas that have been affected. Thankfully, it does look like it's only isolated areas on the track so next week will be telling in how we progress."

Mr Long hopes the go-ahead will be given to return to Chepstow on 19 September.

"The 19th is the target and we are hopeful, but having said that we are just going to have to wait and see," added Mr Long.

"In the meantime, the racing fits in well with Bath as the times remain unaltered (racing begins at 1400 BST and concludes at 1725 BST) and only a few distances have been changed."