Punters were surprised to see Milan Bridge awarded a walkover at Ascot on Saturday.
And his trainer Paul Nicholls was left perplexed by the number of non-runners due to the ground after the walkover in the Ebony Horse Club Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.
The champion trainer was set to saddle two in the contest and actually withdrew Quel Destin on account of the conditions, but the rest of the field were also ruled as the day progressed, leaving Milan Bridge the only horse to go to post for the £8,169 first prize.
The theme continued throughout the day with only two races on the card having over five runners and a plethora of withdrawals, including the high-profile trio of Constitution Hill, Edwardstone and L’Homme Presse.
Nicholls, who was at Haydock, said: “I didn’t run Quel Destin and all along I had been planning to run him. Soft, good to soft would have been perfect, he’s had proper legs. When it dried up I was getting worried a bit, but I declared the other one in case it dried up.
“I could see it was going to be a small field, but why it was a walkover, I have no idea.
“Lorcan (Williams) rode in the first and said ‘I don’t know what they are on about, the ground is safe’ and Harry (Cobden) said the same thing yesterday.”
Speaking to ITV Racing, Nicholls added: “It’s frustrating for all the racing fans who obviously enjoy watching those good horses running. People can make their own minds up whether they run or not and some people don’t like running.
“I get it 100 per cent and it frustrates me just watching the declarations and entries with so few runners. Sometimes you have to take the wraps off these horses otherwise they’ll end up in stables and you don’t win races in the stables.
“Everyone is different, and everyone is entitled to their own opinions.”
Ascot’s clerk of the course Chris Stickels had watered a selected area of the track overnight in a bid to ward off any quickening of conditions, but admitted the rate at which the ground had dried after midweek rain was unexpected.
He told Sky Sports Racing: “I’m surprised by how quickly the ground dried because we had an awful lot of rain earlier in the week.
“I think it’s always tricky when you get good ground jumping at this time of the year, so it doesn’t really surprise me that horses that want softer ground come out when it is good this early on.
“Maybe towards the tail end of the season it’s more likely that people will run on good ground if they’re ideally wanting something easier.
“It has been disappointing for us as a venue for that to have happened. I would rather they didn’t run if they are worried about it than run and come back unsound.”
Punters were similarly bemused with a number of them taking to social media to have their say.
One said: "Milan Bridge wins first time over fences , despite not jumping a fence."
Another commented: "Milan Bridge with a walkover in a 16k race. I feel sorry for people who've paid good money to go today."
Someone else tweeted: "If it couldn't get any more embarrassing for the sport we have walkover in the next at Ascot. Milan Bridge the only runner in a £16k race. People have had to pay to go watch this today."
What made the walkover somewhat humorous was that The Queen Consort Camilla was scheduled to pick the best turned out horse for the race.
As well as Milan Bridge officially being recorded as a winner for the Ditcheat handler, Nicholls also found the scoresheet with Thames Water, who obliged as the 5-4 favourite in the concluding bumper.
Earlier on, Joe Tizzard’s Scarface (8-13 favourite) showed a good attitude to win the opening raceshare.com Racehorse Shares From £39 Novices’ Hurdle by half a length, while Anthony Honeyball’s Coquelicot (100-30) landed the spoils in the Mariner Systems Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.
“She was very good in bumpers and showed a lot of ability,” said winning rider Rex Dingle.
“Over this more acceptable trip, her jumping has improved.
“The blinkers are only to help her with her jumping, and everything went right for her today.”
There was also further Saturday success for Johnny Burke, who followed up last Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup victory by partnering Harry Fry’s Boothill (2-1 joint favourite) to victory in the Jim Barry Wines Hurst Park Handicap Chase.
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