Racing: Club may go for the doctor after McCoy case

The Jockey Club may seek to provide its own medical staff at racecourses in the wake of the Tony McCoy incident. Tracks make their own arrangements with local medical practitioners, as was the case with Uttoxeter and Dr Andrew Toman, who erroneously signed McCoy off for 10 days, increased to 21 by the Club's chief medical officer Dr Michael Turner on Monday, after a fall eight days ago.

A review of safety procedures and instructions at courses was commenced by Turner last summer. "The difficulty is that if you have qualified people with clear instructions, it is reasonable to expect them to carry out those instructions, and the instructions in this case were perfectly clear," David Pipe, head of Jockey Club public affairs, said.

"Michael Turner is compiling his report and making consultations, and there are a number of options, including the provision of doctors at courses by the Jockey Club. It has considerable financial implications, but it is a possibility."

Reports from the Uttoxeter clerk of the course, David McAllister, and Turner dealing with the McCoy incident are also expected by Tony Goodhew, the Club's director of racecourse services, within the next fortnight.

Dave Robert's, McCoy's agent, has offered his co-operation to ensure a similar situation to McCoy's does not arise again. "The main thing is that the whole thing is not swept under the carpet," Roberts said. "It is a serious mistake and it is no good saying everyone's sorry and then allowing the whole thing to be forgotten about.

"We don't want someone's head and we don't want blood. We just want the Jockey Club to do something to make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen again. Nobody is invincible and everybody makes mistakes. Someone at the Jockey Club has made a rick, and that happens."