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All that nonsense that the public wouldn’t be allowed to bring in their own cameras and you get a pro leaning on the rail which breaks and nearly takes out Dynaste.
Yes it was a freak occurrence but shouldn’t he be taking photos when the horses are running past.
d’ohGaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
No one should be close enough to rails to be able to lean on them, it’s like cameramen or supporters standing on the sideline beside the linesman in a football match. It’s utterly ridiculous to have so many people who have nothing to do with the race so close to the track, it doesn’t happen in other sports.
He’s had his accreditation removed. Apparently they’re all given a briefing before racing starts not to lean on or duck under the rail. Although I suppose technically he wasn’t leaning on it since he appeared to back into it. Why bother positioning yourself there if you’re going to turn your back as the field comes by? Twonk.
Yeah, would have expected him to be facing the other way really! Very lucky that none of the horses were injured and also that he wasn’t leaning on the rail enough to lose his balance as it went.
I know Allen, he is a very professional and very experienced photographer who covers many meetings, he is not a non-racing photographer brought in from a newspaper for the meeting. I’d be more interested to know why the rail gave that easily, the flip side of it is that he could have fallen with the rail under the horse giving Aintree a bit more to worry about than an accreditation. Duralock that supply the rails should look into this. I appreciate the warning at the briefing, but Allen is not half a tonne of horse and instead of removing his accreditation they should enquire as to why the fencing gave so easily.
I know Allen, he is a very professional and very experienced photographer who covers many meetings, he is not a non-racing photographer brought in from a newspaper for the meeting. I’d be more interested to know why the rail gave that easily, the flip side of it is that he could have fallen with the rail under the horse giving Aintree a bit more to worry about than an accreditation. Duralock that supply the rails should look into this. I appreciate the warning at the briefing, but Allen is not half a tonne of horse and instead of removing his accreditation they should enquire as to why the fencing gave so easily.
I would imagine they are designed to easily give way so that horse or jockey who might run into them will go through them easily without injury. Id much prefer that they are easily knocked down, as it helps avoid injury. Cameramen shouldnt be allowed within 20 yards of the running rails on either side
Interesting future for photographs if that stance was taken, that would mean photographers would be in the crowd and on the other courses. What is needed is designated area’s for photography, not ‘access all areas’, some push it to the limit but I don’t beleive Allen was out of control here. I know the product Duralock and it should not give like that or it is not fit for purpose. Many horses bounce off those rails when squeezed up, imagine if they all gave in at that point. It would be better to be clearer with the rules, if there are no double rails, then it should then be a no-go area. Shame they stopped them taking pics of all the Liverpool girls ‘hammered’, that was a highlight of the meeting for me!!
Yes exactly – the rails are designed to be as flimsy as possible while retaining their shape and staying in place. They did their job here. The photographer rightly took 100% of the blame. He was specifically warned not to touch the rails in a briefing an hour before the start of racing.
Still, it’s terribly sad for Alan Crowhurst, who won one of the major gongs at the British Sports Journalism Awards just a couple of months ago. Presumably his career is suddenly in ruins, with Getty likely to dispense with his services. We’ve all made horrible mistakes or in our lives or blunders at work so you have to hope Crowhurst can find a way to bounce back.
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