'It's totally out of order' - Richard Hughes blasts Haydock going description

Richard Hughes vented his frustration after pulling out one of his two runners at Haydock on Saturday following a going change to good to firm immediately after the first race.

The Lambourn trainer's Brentford Hope was one of three horses, along with Sir Dancealot and Stellar Queen, to be declared non-runners because of the ground following the quickening conditions (from good).

Speaking after Aussie Banker's victory in the three-year-old mile handicap, Hughes said: "It's unfortunate that I've not been able to run my horse in the next as I thought spring ground would be perfect for him.

"I can't believe the ground was good to soft and is now good to firm – someone has got it wrong. It's a long way to come all the way up here and it's not good enough with the cost of everything. It's totally out of order and I'm hoping I'll be reimbursed."

Following success in the first race on the Charlie Appleby-trained New Comedy, jockey James Doyle described the ground as "definitely good to firm".

Hughes added: "I walked the track and it was good to firm. I'm not happy and it's not the first time it has happened. You lose confidence in making plans."

Aussie Bankers draws away to land the 1m handicap for HughesCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

When the runners were declared on Thursday, the ground was described as good, good to soft in places and it was good on Friday after 4mm of water was applied.

Clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright said: "They declared with good to soft in the going description, but we've had days of strong, drying wind and we've got to good to firm. I hope people understand how it has arisen and I'm sorry if it's not worked for anyone, but we're dealing with nature.

"At some stage in the day it was going to move from good to good to firm and with the jockeys' input that was after the first race.

"With the benefit of hindsight it's a good job we watered. It was my intention to produce ground on the easy side of good and the wind has nearly clean bowled me."

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