Removal of path will make the going good to firm at racecourse

SAFETY OF HORSES IN MIND AS THE JOCKEY CLUB IS GIVEN APPROVAL TO RE-ROUTE EPSOM CROSSING

- By EMILY DALTON Local democracy reporter @SurreyLive

RACEHORSES galloping along Epsom's famous turf could soon enjoy a smoother start, after The Jockey Club won backing to reroute a battered path cutting across the six-furlong chute on the Downs.

The current crossing, used daily by racehorses heading back from morning workouts, has become so uneven it is now seen as a safety risk, with one official saying it's "unbelievably close" to where horses enter the starting stalls.

After years of wear and tear, heavy machinery and wet weather, the path has been left in a "horrible" shape and "uneven". The Jockey Club said the surface has simply had its day, with horses "almost tripping up" as they head for the start line.