{"id":243069,"date":"2023-12-06T13:13:06","date_gmt":"2023-12-06T13:13:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/?p=243069"},"modified":"2023-12-06T13:13:06","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T13:13:06","slug":"groundsman-sees-life-flash-before-his-eyes-as-horses-charge-at-him-in-disastrous-start-to-cursed-race-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/lifestyle\/groundsman-sees-life-flash-before-his-eyes-as-horses-charge-at-him-in-disastrous-start-to-cursed-race-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Groundsman sees life flash before his eyes as horses charge at him in disastrous start to cursed race | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

THIS is the terrifying moment a groundsman saw his life flash before his eyes when horses charged at him at the start of a race.<\/p>\n

Chaos descended on French track Cagnes-sur-Mer when the starter totally lost control and allowed 16 runners to set off.<\/p>\n

In harrowing scenes reminiscent of the groundsman who got run over at Carlisle in October, the man in France looked helpless as the 500kg beasts bolted at him.<\/p>\n

Fortunately he was able to escape to the safety of the rail just in time.<\/p>\n

But even then another loose horse nearly jumped into him as all hell broke loose.<\/p>\n

Three horses failed to start and another rider nearly fell off.<\/p>\n

The starter was meant to have waved his red flag to signal all the jockeys to stop their horses.<\/p>\n

But they did so too late, meaning a siren had to be rung instead telling riders to pull their mounts up.<\/p>\n

Grand National legend Mick Fitzgerald and former Flat jockey Freddy Tylicki were among those in the Sky Sports Racing studios left stunned by what they had seen.<\/p>\n

Tylicki, who was left in a wheelchair after a fall at Kempton in October 2016, said: "Hey! Hey! Hey! It's a disaster."<\/p>\n

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Fitzgerald added: "The guy who's in front of the horses – he's like a bullfighter. He almost gets run over!<\/p>\n

"There's a red flag that means stop but the jockeys can't see it."<\/p>\n

Punters were left just as shocked by the shambolic series of failings.<\/p>\n

One said: "What have I just seen?"<\/p>\n

Another commented: "Should have the Benny Hill music attached to this. Jeeze!"<\/p>\n

One punter said the whole debacle was 'terrible' while another wrote on X: "Is it really that hard to start a race?"<\/p>\n

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