Tom Bellamy has insisted nobody was ever put in danger after the final race at Huntingdon on Tuesday was declared void. The jockey had been riding Alan King‘s Blues Singer, who was withdrawn at the start of the PricedUp Bet Handicap Hurdle after refusing to race.
The race went ahead without him, but Bellamy then rode the horse back the wrong way round the track to return to the unsaddling area. A stop-race flag was called at around halfway, leaving the eight remaining runners with nothing to show for their efforts.
Bellamy explained that Blues Singer was reluctant to go the correct way from the moment they arrived at the start.
“Basically, my horse was playing up and refused to race. He refused to go the correct way on the track, which is why he didn’t want to race in the first place, but he seemed happy to go the opposite way.”
He tried to stay patient in the hope the horse would settle once the rest of the field arrived. However, once the gelding was withdrawn, Bellamy decided the quickest way back was to go against the direction of the race, staying on a different strip of the course.
“I was out on a different track to what they were using, got myself out the way, but then all this commotion kicked off. From my perspective, I did what I wanted to happen, and then it was all blown up.”
“In reality, no one got hurt”
Bellamy believes officials may have feared he was out of control. By his reckoning, though, he was around three minutes ahead of the runners at the one point he would have been on their track.
“I wouldn’t have done it if I was ever going to put anyone in danger, including myself, my horse, or any other horse or jockey. I can only assume they thought at that moment I was out of control and possibly going to remain on the racing line.”
He described Blues Singer as “a bit of a playboy” who has never done anything bad before, pointing out that the open start at the right-handed track did not suit a horse who kept trying to turn to his left. The stewards interviewed every rider in the race. Bellamy told them that waiting for the field to come round again was not an option with his mount becoming more worked up, while jumping off risked leaving him loose on the track.
“If I had got off him and he got loose, surely it’s better I’m in control of him on his back than him running loose on his own. I did what I thought was safest and best. I think it’s been read as a big dramatic occasion, but in reality, no one got hurt.”
The stewards have forwarded a report to the BHA for further consideration.
Tom Bellamy spoke on behalf of BOYLE Sports, who have the horse racing odds.
Commercial notice: This article on GG.co.uk contains affiliate links. The offers we promote come from operators that we trust and our experts have first-hand experience dealing with. If you open an account through one of these affiliate links then GG will earn revenue. However, we ensure that the money earned goes back into improving and enhancing our coverage of horse racing and other sports, as we look to provide an excellent service to our growing audience.