Founder & Editor · Last reviewed 2026-08-28
What happened
Three of the six races on today's card at Thirsk were abandoned this afternoon after the ground was declared unsafe, in a meeting that had already been disrupted by a fall in the opening race.
Stablebet had a reporter on course for what was meant to be a routine Friday flat fixture, run alongside "All Creatures Great & Small", Thirsk's James Herriot-themed family day, with ice cream vans, animals, face painting and funfair games on site. Our reporter took part in the day's treasure hunt (and picked up a free ice cream for the trouble) before the mood on course shifted.
A jockey came down in the first race, the 2.13pm AJA Novice Flat Amateur Jockeys' Handicap. There is no confirmed word yet on their condition, and no name has been released.
An announcement over the course tannoy some time later stated that the going had been declared unsafe. The 2.48pm Work Matters Novice Stakes and the 3.25pm Caddick Construction EBF Restricted Novice Stakes were both abandoned as a result. The 4pm Ivegate Building Handicap then went ahead as scheduled, before the 4.38pm Frameclad Handicap was also called off. The card's closing race, the 5.13pm Applebridge Group Handicap, was run.
So of the six races on the card, races two, three and five were abandoned. Races one, four and six went ahead.
Our reporter was also told on site that the track is offering refunds to today's attendees.
All of the above comes from Stablebet's reporter at the course and from what was announced on site. We have not seen a written statement from the course or a stewards' report, and none has been published as we write this.
What we don't know yet
This is a developing story and we would rather say plainly what is still unconfirmed than guess.
The jockey's condition. We know a jockey fell in the opening race. We do not know their name, and we have no confirmed information on the extent of any injury. We are not naming anyone until that is confirmed, and we won't speculate on how serious it was.
The exact cause. The tannoy announcement said the going had been declared unsafe. It did not give a specific cause, and neither our reporter nor any statement we have seen has pointed to rain, a particular bend or a drainage issue. We are not going to guess at one.
Any official statement. Everything above is drawn from what our reporter heard and saw at the course, not from a written statement, a stewards' enquiry or a named course official. If Thirsk or the BHA publish more detail, we will update this piece and say clearly what has changed.
We will come back to this once there is more to confirm.
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Not the first time
This is the second time in as many years that Thirsk has had to scrap races over unsafe ground. Twelve months ago, on 29 August 2025, the track abandoned two races (a 7f Class 2 handicap and a 1m6f handicap) after the bottom bend was ruled unsafe when horses slipped in earlier races following overnight rain. Clerk of the course James Sanderson said at the time: "Maybe last night's rain and the shower before racing hasn't got in everywhere consistently." Trainer Michael Dods, who inspected the bend, said "you can't take chances with horses". Jockey Luke Morris slipped, though not fell, in the second race that day, and no injury was reported. (Racing Post, 29 August 2025)
That was last year's incident, with last year's cause. We are not suggesting the same explanation applies today, and we will only report today's cause once someone in a position to know has confirmed it.
We'll update this piece as we learn more. For background on the track itself, see our Thirsk racecourse guide.
Responsible gambling: this is a safety story, not a betting angle. If you bet, stake only what you can afford to lose and never chase losses. BeGambleAware.org. 18+.
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