Trainer runs two horses in wrong races

Just when you think it couldn’t happen, they’ve gone and done it again.

For the second time in a year, a British trainer has entered two horses in the wrong races.

Trainer Ivan Furtado will face disciplinary charges after mistaking the identity of two runners at Southwell this month.

Thoroughbreds African Trader and Scribner Creek were two of seven new horses to the Furtado stables, which is likely why the mix up occurred.

“We got seven horses from the same yard that came at the same time. They were identified and the names put on the doors but I think in those first days somehow they must have gone to the walker or to exercise and came back to the wrong box and we treated them as the wrong horse ever since,” Furtado told Racing Post.

“They are pretty similar, though one has a bit of white on his head.”

“When I watched the replays and I realised, I said, ‘That can’t be possible’ because someone should spot it on the racecourse, but that obviously didn’t happen. They were having their first run for me and it is one of those unfortunate things.

“I put my hands up straight away, I sent the wrong horse to the racecourse. I’ll just have to see what happens, learn from it and go forward.”

The BHA (British Horseracing Authority) introduced new measures to stop this from happening, but these clearly didn’t do the trick.

“It is the responsibility of the trainer under the rules of racing to ensure the correct horses run in the correct race. This is why the BHA has taken steps to charge the trainer and put this matter in front of an independent disciplinary panel to determine what, if any, action should be taken,” said a BHA official.

“This is simply unacceptable; it affects the betting public, bookmakers and and risks undermining confidence in the integrity of the sport.”