MCP's View on Void Race

With the latest jumps racing fiasco yesterday at Wetherby it is no good blaming everyone.  Lets simply try and improve racing.  We want it to be the best it can be.

I only know a few facts that I read in the paper concerning the yellow flag debarcle and the void race but this is what I understand from what happened.

• The clerk of the course communicated with the head groundsman when the incident occurred but he did not get an answer.
• The head groundsman had not heard anything and acted.

What now are the clerks instructions?

Why not:

• Contact the commentator and he should be told to announce – VOID RACE
• All stewards at  jumps left should wave  yellow flags.

Surely this will help save all the carnage and all the public would know.  It would also save the bookies any difficulty (they were brilliant in paying out)and hopefully avoid all the problems for everybody.

Please keep it simple.

Procedures should be thought out for these scenarios as there are many many more that could arise.

Martin Pipe CBE