Bizarre scenes prevailed at a track when the entire field of horses refused to jump a fence.
In one of the weirdest races ever seen, the runners competing at Rostrenen suddenly stopped before the take-off board. The six horses and riders had headed down to the birch obstacle in single file.
Then the leader, racing a horse width or so off the rail, looked at the fence and despite the jockey's urgings, came to an immediate halt. Sensing his rival was not going to clear the jump, the thoroughbred on his inside backed off and appeared to slip slightly. The third horse in the pack had nowhere to go, while the rider on the fourth became unbalanced.
