The race was declared void for safety reasons

The final race at Huntingdon on Tuesday was declared void on safety grounds after a jockey took a withdrawn horse the wrong way along the course.

Blues Singer, trained by Alan King and making his seasonal debut, was participating in his first handicap at the venue where he had won a maiden hurdle back in March.

However, when the eight competitors were summoned by the starter, Blues Singer remained at the rear, declining to advance for jockey Tom Bellamy. Ultimately, the starter released the remaining field while the reluctant King runner was scratched at the start.

The contest then unfolded normally, with no hint of the drama to follow, when the course's flag marshals were suddenly deployed to halt proceedings. The riders eventually brought their horses to a standstill amidst complete bewilderment as to why the race had been stopped.

Racing TV later broadcast footage showing Blues Singer returning to the stables travelling in the opposite direction to the racing field, following the chase course, reports the Mirror.

"It has to be something to do with Blues Singer, that's the only thing we can assume," said Racing TV reporter Chris Dixon.

Back in the studio, presenter Richard Hoiles commented: "I'm not 100 percent sure Tom Bellamy knew what he was doing going that way to be honest because he must have realised he'd meet the field coming the other way. Surely he would just follow behind.

"It's a void race so everyone is going to have their stakes refunded. Rather an awkward end to the Huntingdon card."

The stewards' report stated: "An enquiry was held to consider the circumstances surrounding the deployment of the 'stop race' flag as the withdrawn horse Blues Singer appeared to head the wrong way down the track into oncoming runners via the bypass lane.

"The clerk of the course, general manager, head groundsman, the starters, and all the riders involved in the race were interviewed. After hearing the evidence, a report was forwarded to the Head Office of the British Horseracing Authority for further consideration."

Chief steward Tony McGlone spoke to RacingTV, explaining: "At the start the number 3 horse, Tom Bellamy's, was withdrawn because it was unruly and refused to line up.

"So the race was then started and as the runners were coming round Tom, because he couldn't get his horse to go right-handed, then decided to take his horse left-handed and go back towards the runners coming round.

"I was upstairs inside our box and we could see the horse galloping quite quickly against the flow of the runners, so the clerk of the course decided this could be a danger because there might be an accident. She called for the race to be stopped."

He went on to add: "He was going pretty quick and at that stage we had no reason to say he was in control of his horse. As he was going at speed towards the runners, the clerk of the course decided that the safest thing for horses and riders was to stop the race."