Horse racing got a walk-on part in the Liberal Democrat manifesto, published on Wednesday, in the form of a pledge to “establish an independent regulatory body for horse welfare to prevent the abuse and avoidable deaths of racehorses”. The policy, which was passed at the party’s 2018 conference, “would not help” advance horse welfare in racing, according to the British Horseracing Authority, which currently has responsibility in this area.
A BHA spokesman, responding to the manifesto, said that racing “has a clear track record in delivering improved welfare outcomes for our horses. British racing’s evidence-based approach has already significantly reduced avoidable risk – an approach endorsed by Defra – and we have a clear ambition to reduce this further through our investment in a predictive risk model.”
He also pointed to the BHA’s creation this year of a Horse Welfare Board, chaired by Barry Johnson, a former president of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and with the Conservative former sports minister Tracey Crouch among its members. The board, he said, is “developing a comprehensive welfare strategy to further raise welfare standards across the sport and lifetime of the racehorse”.
The wording of the Lib Dem pledge is strikingly similar to an Animal Aid petition which garnered more than 100,000 signatures last year and triggered a parliamentary debate. Animal Aid, an animal rights organisation that would like to see an end to horse racing, said it regards it as “a landmark achievement” that a major political party is now “committed to shaking up a complacent racing industry”.
But Roly Owers of World Horse Welfare said the creation of the Horse Welfare Board meant that the Lib Dem policy “has been overtaken by events. We would fully support that board and it would be foolhardy to look at establishing something else until the success or otherwise of the board has been determined. Its creation was a very positive step and we await with interest the publication of its strategy, expected in January. We believe it should be given a chance to perform.”
A similar response came from the RSPCA, whose racing consultant, David Muir, said: “I would like to see how the board gets on before saying anything about a new system. I’m happy that they will do what’s expected of them.”
The Conservative party is not expected to have anything to say on the subject of racing in its manifesto, but Labour is expected to promise a review of the use of the whip. This was mentioned in its Animal Welfare Manifesto, published in August. The BHA published a lengthy response at the time, aimed at offering reassurance that use of the whip is properly controlled and misuse is punished.
The Guardian has offered the three main parties a chance to comment. Any replies will be added to this piece.
Thursday’s best bets
Venetia Williams did so well last winter that I wondered if she might be a bit short of well-handicapped horses this season. Six winners already this month has allayed those concerns and plenty of her beaten runners have also fared well.
She sends out a runner she bought out of Willie Mullins’s yard in May. Roll Again (2.05) was sold by the executors of Peter Magnier. He would not have been the apple of Mullins’s eye but showed enough to be interesting for this switch to fences at Market Rasen. He’s only been in a couple of handicaps so far, both over three miles at the spring festivals. This is not nearly so hot, for all that there are two recent winners in the field, and he’s attracting some support at 5-1.
At Wincanton, the price is collapsing about Rough Night (3.20) but you should still get 8-1. He was already a chasing prospect when he joined Alex Hales from Ireland last autumn and won easily first time out in a Lingfield handicap hurdle. Good ground looks a help.
At some stage, I would like to see some support for the nap, Highway To Success (3.50), from the Suzi Best yard. This is a three-year-old taking on older horses in a handicap hurdle, a formula that has worked for a couple of other yards recently. A hood is fitted for this free-going sort and the promising Luca Morgan booked. They’re 6-1.
At Chelmsford, Hollie Doyle could become just the third woman to ride 100 winners in a year, courtesy of The Perfect Crown (4.25), who has been hammered down to 6-4 for this debut. Later, Tebay (7.00) appeals at 9-1 on his second start for John Best.
Market Rasen 12.25 Guy 1.00 Elle Est Grande 1.35 Regarding Ruth (nb) 2.05 Roll Again 2.40 Hugo’s Reflection 3.10 Christmas in Usa 3.40 Kap Auteuil
Wincanton 1.10 Methag 1.45 Gunnery 2.15 Crossley Tender 2.50 Saint De Reve 3.20 Rough Night 3.50 Highway To Success (nap)
Newcastle 1.20 Spirit Of Angel 1.55 Paths Of Glory 2.25 Galsworthy 3.00 Rajinsky 3.30 Time Voyage 4.05 Savalas 4.35 Agent Shiftwell
Chelmsford 4.25 The Perfect Crown 5.00 Unforgiving Minute 5.30 Land Of Winter 6.00 Royal Birth 6.30 Split Down South 7.00 Tebay 7.30 Mons Star 8.00 Nampara
Tips by Chris Cook
