CHELTENHAM’S opening fixture of the National Hunt season was marred by two unfortunate incidents that saw two horses in separate races veering off the track from seemingly winning positions in the straight.

The tape running rail, which runs across to block off the hurdles course from the chase course in the straight, was twice collided and broken into, first by One For Billy in the two-mile novices’ chase won by Diakali and later by the Michael O’Sullivan-ridden Oighear Dubh for Eugene O’Sullivan in a three-mile-one-furlong amateur riders’ handicap chase won by Sam Red.

Simon Claisse, clerk of the course, said: “There was an extensive inquiry involving the BHA inspector of courses after the Foxhunter incident and changes were made but we need to have another look after this.

“The big problem we have is the time gap – there are only around two minutes after the horses race round the turn before they return and that is not enough time to put in pins and rails for the finish.”

The same sort of incident happened before at the 2013 Cheltenham Festival when Oscar Delta, leading the Foxhunter Chase swerved for the hurdles course, unseating Jane Mangan in the process.

TOUTS BANNED

Earlier Cheltenham claimed a mini victory in their battle against ticket touts. Yesterday’s meeting came just days after the racecourse got an injunction banning ticket touts from being on the premises.

Racecourse regional director Ian Renton reported that a number of ticket touts that turned up were informed of the injunction and then “legged it”. The racecourse faces a bigger test today and for the November meeting which both promise to be much busier meetings.