Massacre occurs at Epsom Downs as a dog trespasses on the track and is nearly crushed by a horse

Chaos unfolded during Thursday’s races at Epsom Downs when a dog ran onto the track and was nearly crushed by a horse. Remarkably, the puppy escaped unharmed, but there was certainly some luck involved as he came into very close contact with a purebred.

The incident occurred during the 2pm race at Derbyshire Racecourse when the horses were just two furlongs from the finish line. A small dog ran onto the track and ran right in front of the 10th place racer.

Television replays show the horse merely making contact with the horse, but it was not enough to cause any serious damage. However, this has raised eyebrows given that only guide dogs are allowed at Epsom Racecourse.

The stewards’ report said: “An investigation has been carried out to determine the circumstances surrounding why the dog appeared on the track, approximately two stadiums away.

“The course secretary was questioned. After hearing his evidence, a report was sent to British Horseracing Authority headquarters for further consideration.”

There is speculation that the dog might not have belonged to a race participant, but to a member of the public. This is because members of the public are allowed to use the Downs where the racecourse is located.

Unsurprisingly, there was a lot of response on social media. @biffboff2009 wrote on X: “I was very lucky to watch the race and it didn’t just show how good the jockey is, I think the horse narrowly missed the mark.”

@Nixterr1 asked: “Why was there a dog there in the first place?”

@GarryLloyd1 said the same thing: “Why the hell there was a dog on the track is the most obvious question.”

However, fortunately, the dog, jockeys and horses escaped unharmed, as the latter are capable of speeds of around 40mph. The race itself was won by Quite Cheeky, who was rated 7-1 and trained by William Haggas. As a result of the victory, the owner of TJW Bridge received a prize of £7,000.