Newbury racecourse expects at least 20,000 racegoers to attend its Weatherbys Super Sprint card on Saturday, despite an apparent boycott of the final contest by trainers and owners, which has seen the schedule reduced to just six races.
Thirteen horses from 10 stables were entered for the Stonegate Homes Fillies’ Novice Stakes, for three-year-olds and up over 10 furlongs and with a £3,510 first prize, earlier in the week but none were declared to run on Thursday morning. While there has been no formal confirmation that the contest fell victim to an organised boycott, the Racing Post has suggested the move was orchestrated by “a prominent Newmarket handler” to protest at what was seen as a disappointing prize fund of £6,500.
