UK Racing Welcomes Government Aid

UK racing organisations welcomed the news that the racing industry would receive £21 million in loan support, which was announced late on Sunday evening. The loan is to assist with the continuing financial fallout due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), Racecourse Association (RCA) and The Horsemen's Group released a joint statement in response on Monday morning. The statement read:

“The leaders of British racing have welcomed the announcement that around £21 million of loan funding will be made available to the sport through the Sports Winter Survival Package. The money will be lent to the Horserace Betting Levy Board because of its role in providing central funding of industry costs of race-day regulation, equine welfare and industry training.

“Leaders representing the British Horseracing Authority, the Racecourse Association and The Horsemen's Group have been engaging with Sport England and DCMS since the Survival Package was announced on Nov. 19th. It is intended to help sports severely impacted by coronavirus restrictions over the winter months, notably where the absence of spectators and the revenue they provide would pose a threat to the survival of clubs or sporting teams.

“The funding model for racing is different from many sports where clubs will typically receive the revenues from spectators, employ the players or participants and fund the costs of staging sporting events. Racing's leaders asked government to allow the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) to be the recipient of loan funding, because of its role in providing central funding to support raceday and other industry costs. Work continues with the HBLB to agree how the loan funding can best be used to assist the industry with surviving and recovering from COVID 19.

“No changes are expected to the HBLB's plan for funding race-days and prize money until the end of June. But with spectators not returning to racecourses until May 17th at the earliest, and in reduced numbers at that point, the gap in revenues will continue into July and until a full return of race-goers is possible. The government has already indicated that further financial help may be available for sports affected over the summer, which British racing has also welcomed.

“Racing has taken into account the need to repay any funds borrowed from the original £40 million which government set as a limit for horseracing. Whilst the terms of the loans are favourable, there is a recognition that any debts incurred will have to be paid back from future Levy income. Racing's leaders will now work with the HBLB on a plan to repay the loans over the 10-year period.”

The BHA's Chief Executive Julie Harrington said: “We are extremely grateful to officials at Sport England, DCMS and the Treasury for their support in agreeing this funding to racing. We are grateful also to the Horserace Betting Levy Board for agreeing to our proposal and borrowing this money to support the central funding of racing. This money will help ensure racing continues behind closed doors despite the absence of spectator revenues. This will benefit our racecourses, our participants and their communities, and the vital role racing plays as an employer and contributor to the rural economy.”

“The RCA and its Members are very grateful to the HBLB, DCMS and Sport England for putting in place this vital funding for the sport,” said Racecourse Association Chief Executive David Armstrong. “Racecourses have suffered lost turnover of over £325m since the pandemic began and this funding will provide a crucial bridge for both Racecourses and Horsemen as we begin the long road to recovery.”

Charlie Liverton, Chief Executive of the Racecourse Owners Association, said, “Our thanks go to the officials at Sport England, DCMS and the Treasury for their help and support in providing this loan to British Racing. In particular, the team at Sport England for their time and advice during the process. The HBLB will be the recipients of the loan and we look forward to working with them to understand how the loan can be best utilized going forward. The Government's Sports Winter Package has provided financial support to many sports industries over the past few months and this support to British Racing is very welcome.”

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Gosdens to Have First Runners on Mar. 27

John and Thady Gosen will have their first runners under a joint licence on Saturday, Mar. 27, after announcing their imminent partnership earlier this year. Several horses, among them Haqeeqy (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in the Doncaster Unibet Lincoln Heritage H., will step forward for the Clarehaven duo on Saturday. The news was first reported by the Racing Post.

John Gosden told Racing Post, “It was always the plan to launch the dual-licence for the start of the Flat season and only delays on BHA modules due to Covid-19 prevented it being in place on Jan. 1. We'll make our first entries under the new licensing arrangements for next Saturday.

“Haqeeqy breezed around Waterhall on Friday morning and went nicely. He's yet to score beyond seven furlongs but shapes as if he should get a mile and goes there with a nice chance. We've had the Lincoln in mind for him for some time.”

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Oisin Murphy’s Return From Ban Delayed

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy has had his return from a three-month riding ban delayed as he has not completed the requisite BHA testing in time to take up his booked rides today (Friday) at Lingfeld.

Early on Friday morning, Murphy announced via two tweets that he had been made aware of an “administrative error” which prevented his immediate comeback from a suspension after he tested positive for metabolites of cocaine when riding at Chantilly in July 2020.

He said, “At 18.50 yesterday I was personally informed by the BHA due to an administrative error I will not be able to partner my rides at Lingfield today and Chelmsford on Saturday. I'm currently looking into this situation with the BHA and I plan to be back on the racetrack as soon as I possibly can. I apologise profusely to all the owners, trainers and supporters who I'm having to let down at such late notice. It's 128 days since my last ride in the UK.”

A subsequent statement released by the BHA outlined the requirement for jockeys returning from a suspension of this kind to undergo a course of testing and to be confirmed safe to ride by the BHA's chief medical advisor.

It read, “On 22 February Mr Murphy contacted the BHA about his intended return to race riding. The BHA liaised with him and the PJA from this point onwards, including in regards to his testing requirements.

“On 2 March Mr Murphy was reminded of the requirements and that it is his responsibility to complete the necessary tests before a return to riding. As of 12 March Mr Murphy is only part way through his reinstatement testing and he is therefore unable to ride at this point.”

Murphy was handed his suspension by France Galop in late November just weeks after being crowned champion jockey in Britain for the second time. The ban was considered lenient for such an offence, which ordinarily would warrant a suspension of at least six months, but the France Galop stewards accepted a hair test and testimony from Murphy that he had not taken cocaine himself but had been contaminated during an encounter with someone he subsequently discovered to be a user.

As is usual practice, the ban was reciprocated by the BHA and the jockey was stood down from riding from Dec. 11 last year. It is understood that Murphy has completed three of the four urine tests required before he can race ride again. He responded to the BHA statement with a further message on Twitter.

He said, “Please note I can't arrange testing personally. Only the BHA have the ability to do so. I've been available and completed all the tests thus far.”

Murphy is currently booked for three rides at Newcastle on Tuesday.

 

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BHA Chief Addresses Foster Cheltenham Runners

British Horseracing Authority Chief Executive Julie Harrington said in a Zoom call with members of the media on Wednesday that she does not anticipate barriers to runners trained by Denise “Sneezy” Foster competing at Cheltenham next week, but that British racing's governing body is seeking clarification from the Irish Horse Racing Board on the conditions of Foster's license. The day after it was announced last week that leading Irish National Hunt trainer Gordon Elliott was banned for a year-with the second half of the ban suspended-after a photo surfaced of him on social media astride a dead horse in his care, it was revealed that Foster, who trained a small dual purpose string up the road from Elliott in Co. Meath, would take over Elliott's license and operate from his Cullentra Stables while he served his ban. The BHA had placed a ban on Elliott having runners in Britain while his investigation was ongoing.

Harrington said on Wednesday, “We are really pleased that our colleagues in Ireland acted swiftly, so that this wasn't hanging over us throughout the Festival. That's not as simple as to say 'let's draw a line under it and move on'–but the sanction is in place. Our temporary ban is lifted, because Mr Elliott's ban is in place, and those horses are free to run for other trainers.

“In terms of any conditions to her licence, that is a matter for the IHRB. But I'm in contact with Denis Egan [chief executive] at the IHRB, understanding what those conditions are for the good reputation of racing in Ireland and Britain. We're asking what conditions have been put in place. But that is a matter for the Irish–we're currently seeking clarifications of what conditions are put in place. We're assuming we'll know before Cheltenham. It will be conditions to the licence rather than the sanction–that is where they will be applied. We're asking for those but also making it clear what our views are on behalf of JCR [Jockey Club Racecourses] as well. We want to make sure that any horses attending are not clearly under the Gordon Elliott flag.

“I've made our views on it clear, and we're waiting to hear what conditions will be applied to Denise. Then we will also be able to look, if we're not happy, at what is available to us within our own rules. At this point we're having really good discussions, so I'm not envisaging us getting to that point [preventing the horses running].”

Though some of Elliott's former Cheltenham fancies-like Cheveley Park Stud's G1 Cheltenham Marsh Novices' Chase entrant Envoi Allen (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB})-have been moved to other trainers, Foster is still likely to send out a handful of favourites at The Festival, with Zanahiyr (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Grand Roi (Fr) (Spanish Moon) and The Bosses Oscar (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}) favoured for their respective races.

“We want the coverage to be about the great stories and the great achievements of the horses–it is the shop window for our sport,” Harrington said. “It's an opportunity for us to really shine and tell the positive stories that are linked to our sport. We're not naive, though–we know people will have questions, but what we don't want to do is detract from all the hard work that goes into preparing horses for the Festival. It would be such a shame for everybody who has worked all year to get those horses ready to not get the airtime that they deserve.

“If Denise Foster has winners at the Festival, the story being around the connections of that horse is what I hope is put forward.”

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