Racing’s ruling body has been urged to act over the number of non-runners in the sport in Britain, which has been described as “much too high” and tending to discourage the public from taking an interest. The Horserace Bettors Forum, created last year to tackle subjects of concern to gamblers, said the reasons given for many non-runners “stretch credulity” and suggested the British Horseracing Authority should scrutinise withdrawals in particularly vexing circumstances.
The statement was welcomed by the BHA, which said it had recently opened its own review of the issue in response to internal data showing a 12% increase in non-runners this year, reversing a gradual decline in the previous four years. A BHA spokesman said that the 12% increase was mirrored in all-weather racing, suggesting that unusually wet weather this year cannot be the whole explanation, or even the main one.
The HBF said it was “unanimous in wishing to convey to the BHA the forum’s belief that the high incidence of non-runners in British racing is disruptive and unwelcome to bettors”. In particular it has concerns over the self-certification process, which allows trainers to take out their horses in the expectation they will not be questioned further as to the reason why, although the horse is then prevented from running for six days.
HBF’s understanding is that Flat trainers can take out 20% of their declared runners in this way before losing the right to self-certify, while the figure is 15% in jumps racing. “This seems much too high and needs to be revisited,” the HBF said, adding that the six-day exclusion period could usefully be extended on the grounds of both integrity and welfare.
The HBF proposed that the BHA’s veterinary team could work to establish reasonable recovery times for common ailments, which could then be used to determine mandatory suspension times. On the subject of going-related withdrawals, the HBF argues that the horse in question should not then be allowed to run on the same or very similar going “for a significant time”. It noted that work would have to be done at the same time to increase confidence in the going descriptions offered by racecourse officials.
“Connections may want the absolutely ideal circumstances for their horses, but this should be balanced against the consequences of non-runners to the betting and racegoing public, to other racing professionals (including jockeys) and to the good reputation of the sport,” the HBF noted.
A BHA spokesman said of the regulator’s proposed study: “The first stage will be to review all the data in more detail to determine whether actions needs to be taken. The review will include consultation with racing’s stakeholders, in particular the representative groups of the horsemen. We note the HBF’s recommendations and the forum will also be consulted as part of this review, as well as our veterinary team.”
Speaking for the Professional Jockeys’ Association, Dale Gibson agreed with the HBF that action is necessary. “I’m afraid the rule is far too weak and has been for a number of years,” he said. “It’s too easy to declare a horse and then take it out.”
Gibson cited examples this year of a trainer withdrawing multiple horses from an all-weather fixture for going-related reasons when the going was officially “standard”. He said other horses had been non-runners on a vets’ certificate one day, when poorly drawn, and had run the next day in less obviously disadvantageous circumstances.
Gibson acknowledged that jockeys now receive 40% of their riding fee for non-runners, as the result of a change last year that was made in lieu of an increase in the fee itself. But that payment is only made where horses are withdrawn after 9am on the day of the race and he now believes there has been an increase in horses being taken out between 8.30am and 9am.
“We seem to be the only group in racing that wants declared horses to run if they’re fit to do so,” Gibson said. “No one wants to see horse welfare compromised. Welfare is paramount. But we think there is still scope to reduce the number of non-runners per year by between 1,000 and 1,500.”
