Rake gaffe prompts $16 mn refund in Hong Kong’s first ever no-race

Hong Kong bookies had to return US$16 million in bets when a garden rake jammed starting barriers at the Happy Valley racecourse, causing what is thought to be the city’s first ever no-race.
The rake, left leaning against the barriers at the downtown track, seems to have become accidentally caught in the starting mechanism, the South China Morning Post said, delaying the opening of all but four stalls.
The Class Four sprint was quickly declared void and the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the city’s betting monopoly, handed back HK$126 million (US$16.2 million) to punters, the Post said.
“Given the number of horses which had their chances prejudiced, we felt it was appropriate to declare the race void,” chief steward Kim Kelly was quoted as saying.
Veteran trainer John Moore also told the newspaper: “I’ve been here as long as most, over 40 years, and I’ve never seen a no-race in Hong Kong.”