Epsom makes 'goodwill' payment to connections of horses affected by Dash stalls farce

Officials at Epsom have decided to pay £500 as a "goodwill gesture" to the connections of the four horses whose stalls opened slower than the remainder in a controversial running of the Dash on Derby day. 

After Alligator Alley forced his way out of stall 14 before the starter had activated the start for the Dash, gates 16, 18, 19 and 20 were slower to open than the remaining 15 for a race run on what is regarded as the fastest five-furlong track in the world.    

While acknowledging those four gates had opened "fractionally slower" than the remainder, stewards on the day decided the chances of the four runners in those stalls were not "materially impacted" by the start and therefore took no further action.