SEDGEFIELD Racecourse was at the heart of a major controversy this afternoon as one of its races was ruled void because a steward waved the incorrect flag.

With the low sun creating a potential hazard, the decision was taken to omit one of the fences in the Compare Bookies Odds At Bookies.Com Handicap Chase.

That should have meant the steward closest to the fence waving a chequered flag to inform the jockeys of the missed fence, but instead he selected a yellow flag which signifies a stopped race.

All seven horses continued without jumping the bypassed fence, and Debt To Society, trained by Richard Ford, eventually edged out the favourite, Apache Pilot, in a thrilling finish to the three mile, three furlong contest.

However, a stewards' enquiry was initiated immediately after the finish, and the race was eventually declared void.

No prize money was awarded, all winning bets were invalid and the seven jockeys involved in the race were all issued with ten-day bans.

A frustrated Ford said: "It is quite a bizarre set of circumstances, but surely it didn't affect the result - because of the low sun the jockeys couldn't really tell which flag he was waving anyway.

"As I understand it all the jockeys are getting ten-day bans, too. It just doesn't make any common sense."

The incident is the latest controversy to blight National Hunt racing, following hot on the heels of Wetherby's recent admission that their race distances had been incorrect for five years and The Young Master's 'win' in the valuable Badger Ales Chase at Wincaton, even though he was ineligible to run in the race.