Ian Mongan has levelled fierce criticism at Lingfield's all-weather surface after riding at the track on Thursday afternoon.
Henry Cecil's jockey lables track "not good enough"
Ian Mongan has levelled fierce criticism at Lingfield's all-weather surface after riding at the track on Thursday afternoon.
Mongan, who rode Twice Over to win the Juddmonte International at York earlier this season, believes the kickback at the course has become so bad that the safety of horses is at risk.
"When we tell the officials and the clerk of the course how bad the track is, it falls on deaf ears," Mongan told At The Races.
"They say it's getting done next year, but it's not good enough.
"With the whip debate going on about the welfare for the horses, they should really come and look at this track because I've never known kickback like it.
"It's OK for the jockeys, we can put a few pairs of goggles on, but the horses have nothing on and I can seriously see a horse losing an eye.
"There are a lot of nice horses running here today, with a lot of top trainers. If they knew the state of the track, I don't think they'd run their horses here.
"It's been bad for a while but it's kind of come to a point now where it's really bad. I think they've turned the track upside down and tried to renew it, it's got bad again.
"It's hard to explain how bad it is. You can't ride a race and I can see the horses getting seriously hurt.
"We've got to go all winter here with this. Any owners and trainers thinking of running horses at Lingfield in the near future, I'd think again."
In response, clerk of the course Neil Mackenzie Ross said: "I haven't seen the interview with Ian Mongan but I have been made aware of it and I have spoken with Ryan Moore and Richard Hughes.
"They have told me they have concerns with the kickback, so we will try and address it.
"The track is used 90-odd times a year and is at it's best when the weather turns colder and wetter, so hopefully when the weather turns that will help us out.
"The track is due a power harrow, but I didn't want to do that this week and slow the track down too much, particularly with the races we had today.
"That is due to take place next week."
