Chepstow forced to abandon meeting after two races due to ground concerns

Racing at Chepstow in England today was cut short due to concerns over the surface.

The decision was made following an inspection of the course after the second race.

"Today's race meeting has been abandoned due to false patches of ground on the track," said Chepstow executive director Phil Bell.

"The decision was made by the stewards following an inspection of the course by jockeys, trainers and officials."

Fixture notice @Chepstow_Racing: Report following an enquiry into the safety of the racing surface ➡️ pic.twitter.com/eaBrandjZp

— BHA Stewards (@BHAStewards) August 27, 2018

The initial problem appeared to be at the start of the first race over six furlongs.

The stewards gave permission for the stalls to be moved three yards in front of the original start position for race two, owing to remedial work being necessary.

Riders raised concerns over false patches of ground on the straight course and the bend into the home straight, leading to an inspection and the abandonment of the meeting.

Chepstow have arranged for their consultants to carry out an inspection of the area on Tuesday morning and to investigate what happened.