Racing: Ascot inspect track after hole causes chaos

It was not just at The Belfry that the cry was "in the hole" yesterday. A gaping fissure in the home straight on the royal course caused one horse to tumble – mercifully without injury – in the opening race and threatened to reduce one of the most important meetings of the year to farce.

Khayyam was the horse that put a foot in a hole just over a furlong from the finish in the opening amateur riders' event. He collapsed on to his side but was soon back on his feet.

Upon investigation, the clerk of the course, Nick Cheyne, and his ground staff discovered the hole – possibly caused by a collapsed drain – near the far rail and proceeded to dig it out and then to doll off that area.

After consultation with senior jockeys it was decided that it was safe for racing to continue, with the card delayed by some 20 minutes.

Cheyne said: "After racing, we will have a very thorough look round the whole course, both the round and the straight course. We will look at all areas to make sure there is nothing more unforeseen.

"I am hopeful that it is just this one hole that has appeared. Thankfully, the horse who fell in the first is fine."

The recent dry spell may have played a part in causing the crack to appear and has also caused the abandonment of the chase races on Exeter's card scheduled for Tuesday. Extra hurdle races have been sanctioned in their place. Bath, too, is suffering from the unlikely drought but though the forecast going for Monday's meeting is "hard" the ground is raceable.

The main action abroad this weekend concerns the dual Classic winner Kazzia who worked on the track at Belmont Park yesterday in preparation for today's Grade One Flower Bowl Invitational. The Godolphin filly, who missed the St Leger two weeks ago because of a foot abscess, cantered over 10 furlongs on dirt.

With Frankie Dettori at Ascot, Kazzia'a big-race rider is Jorge Chavez and Tom Albertrani, assistant trainer to Saeed bin Suroor, said: "She's a very talented horse and has done everything we've expected." Kazzia's end-of-season target is the Breeders' Cup Filly And Mare Turf at Arlington Park on 26 October.

Britain is also represented by Michael Jarvis's Tarfshi, while André Fabre's Banks Hill and François Rohaut's Turtle Bow run for France.

Mark Johnston is expecting a big run from Zindabad, who will be partnered by Kevin Darley, in the Grade One Canadian International at Woodbine tomorrow. "This is far and away Zindabad's best year," said the trainer, who also saddles Yavana's Pace. "The horse has definitely come on from where he was at this point last year."