Newcastle racecourse stewards owe punters an explanation after outrageous Theodore Ladd and Jack Hyde howlers

HOW appropriate that it was Groundhog Day this week – because the same rubbish just keeps happening over and over.

The sport is on the verge of a full-blown civil war over the whip, a problem entirely of racing’s own making.

Newcastle stewards have failed to crack down on some dodgy riding

I don’t want to spend much time on the subject, but the bait has been cast in recent days and I can’t help but have a little nibble.

BHA officials are now resorting to looking at freeze frames and getting their protractors out to see if a jockey has gone over shoulder height – it’s become racing’s version of VAR.

I can understand why the jockeys are so upset, given the huge bans they could face if the draconian new rules remain unchanged come the hard launch on February 13.

But let’s not forget – they asked for the rule and they asked for no discretion so that everyone in the weighing room would know where they stand.

The PJA have truly had a shocker, they’ve bungled the negotiations from start to finish on behalf of their members. It’s a sorry saga and time is running out to get it fixed.

Anyway, my main gripe this week is actually with the stewards up at Newcastle.

I’m not sure what they’re putting in their tea up in Geordieland, but they dropped two major clangers in the space of five days.

First, they let jockey Thedore Ladd off the hook after a powder-puff ride on three-year-old sprinter Engelbert.

With absolutely minimal effort – I’ve seen more life in a mannequin – he steered the horse to a never-nearer fifth in a six-furlong maiden, beaten around three lengths.

Officials at least asked him if he felt he had done everything in his power to obtain the best possible placing – and they were satisfied with his explanation.

I’m sorry, but if Theo was trying his hardest then I’m the President of the United States.

In my opinion, this was a horse being ridden tenderly to get a nice opening handicap mark.

Plenty of racing fans reached that conclusion on social media, too, but the stewards didn’t see anything untoward.

And the same officials were boiling punters’ piss again just a few days later when they allowed 13 jockeys off scot-free after an embarrassing incident in the bumper.

Amateur jockey John Reddington was allowed more rope than the Cutty Sark when his colleagues gifted him an uncontested 50-length lead.

None of the jocks in behind were in a hurry to do anything about it, and when they finally clocked-on it was too late.

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Reddington and his horse Jack Hyde eased home by 15 lengths having never seen another runner, despite both of them appearing knackered in the final two furlongs.

Everyone of the jockeys in behind should have had the book thrown at them – but again their ‘explanations were noted’.

A lot of punters already think they’re being ripped off, whether it’s the bookies restricting their stakes or racecourses charging an arm and a leg.

And if they feel raceday officials aren’t fighting their corner either – by failing to crack down on suspicious or hare-brained riding – you’re going to quickly turn them off.

It’s not good enough and the Newcastle stewards should tell us why further action wasn’t taken. ‘Explanation noted’ just won’t cut it.

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