Trouble-free rerun for Newbury

High-class racing rather than equine misfortune was able to return to the top of the agenda at Newbury as the rescheduled totesport Trophy meeting went by without a hitch.

The sport had been given rare exposure in the news pages on Saturday due to an incident in the paddock before the first race when two horses, Marching Song and Fenix Two, died from what emerged to have been accidental electrocution.

The inquest continues at the Berkshire track but the decision to restage one of Europe's most valuable handicap hurdles and several key Cheltenham Festival trials was welcomed by the racing community.

Grand National-winning trainer Jonjo O'Neill, who was responsible for Fenix Two, harboured no ill feelings and said: "It's good to be back - this is a great track and they do a good job.

"It was just a freak thing - very, very weird. Everyone has done their best and it's onwards and upwards. They are not stupid people here and it's nice to get on with it."

His eminent colleague Nicky Henderson's horse Kid Cassidy was another to have been affected in the incident and was withdrawn at the start of the first race at the weekend.

"Racing is a very close little community and the reason we are all here is because of a thing called the horse," he said.

"What we saw on Saturday shook all of us, and I think if it didn't then maybe you should have been at a football match or something.

"It's a bit surreal here today, it doesn't feel like a big Saturday but these horses need to run and Cheltenham is just around the corner.

"Newbury did everything they could and what had to be snap decisions at the weekend were spot-on.

"I have to congratulate the staff here, the British Horseracing Authority and the sponsors for getting this meeting back on."

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls added: "The meeting needed supporting so I put a few more horses in. Everyone has made a lot of effort and we all needed to move on from Saturday.

"There are lot of horses needing a run and the BHA, the staff and the press have been great. We need to put it behind us and move forward."

A piece of cabling was removed from the paddock area by Southern Electric, who have stressed there was no danger to the public on Saturday.

Stephen Higgins, Newbury's joint managing director, said: "It has obviously been a difficult week but the response from everyone has been fantastic.

"The team here, both on the business side and the racing side, have worked tirelessly to get this meeting to go ahead.

"Hopefully when we get the report from Southern Electric, it will clearly identify the condition of the cable and its age.

"We've got to give them time to do their report and the BHA are obviously undertaking their own report.

"As soon as we've got the details we will share them with the wider world."

Reflecting on the reasoning to stage the first race on Saturday, he added: "We decided at the time and we spoke to the BHA.

"The horses were checked with vets at the start and every trainer who had a runner was given the opportunity not to run, and the race was run."

Professor Tim Morris, director of equine science and welfare for the BHA, said: "As far as I'm aware, this is the first time ever a race meeting has been called to a halt for any equine event.

"This was an incredibly rare event."

Also reflecting on the first race, Morris went on: "I spoke in real time with Paul Barton, who was a senior stipendiary steward on duty as he was making the decision (to abandon).

"I gave him my opinion. I said that people on the ground had to make the decisions and I will give my advice on follow up.

"I wasn't going to second guess down a telephone and that was the important thing.

"There has been some criticism of both the BHA, which goes with the job, and, more importantly, the racecourse.

"That's only come from people who weren't there.

"On the ground, the people who knew what happened, they said that was the right decision under the circumstances to get the horses out of the way, check them, then run the race.

"It enabled us regroup, reconsider and say, 'Let's stop it now'."