Trainers in uproar at unraceable Redcar

Yesterday's meeting at Redcar was abandoned in controversial circumstances when a hastily organised inspection of the course found the track to be in an unraceable condition. Five minutes after the advertised first race time of 1.55 it was announced that the meeting had been called off "in the interests of safety, due to the track being rough and uneven".

Yesterday's meeting at Redcar was abandoned in controversial circumstances when a hastily organised inspection of the course found the track to be in an unraceable condition. Five minutes after the advertised first race time of 1.55 it was announced that the meeting had been called off "in the interests of safety, due to the track being rough and uneven".

The state of the track had been brought to the attention of the stewards at 1pm by the Newmarket-based trainer Nick Littmoden and a deputation of officials, trainers, owners and jockeys was assembled to walk the course.

Littmoden was furious and said: "It is a disgrace, I would not canter a horse to post on it, I have travelled up from Newmarket and I don't think I should have to get here and tell them it is dangerous.The days of this sort of thing happening has got to stop."

* Officials at Worcester will hold an inspection of the course today to determine prospects for next Wednesday's card. Flooding has hit the jumps track hard over the winter and there have been no fixtures at the course for eight months.

* Palacegate Touch finished second in his attempt to close in on a landmark win at Southwell yesterday. Alan Berry's admirable 11-year-old, the winner of 32 races, started the day two short of Le Garcon D'Or's British record of 34 Flat wins.