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British Horseracing Authority Bans Assistant Trainer 15 Months For Striking Horses

The British Horseracing Authority has issued a 15-month ban to former assistant trainer Neil Harris over two videos of incidents showing him striking horses during jumps schooling, reports racingpost.com.

The incidents occurred on Dec. 3, 2017 and Aug. 7, 2020, and were brought to the BHA in March 2021. Harris' ban is backdated to March 16, 2021.

“Welfare and the care of horses is absolutely paramount,” James O'Mahony, the BHA disciplinary panel's chairman, told racingpost.com. “In the first footage, there is in our judgement a loss of temper, which is completely inappropriate.

“Yet perhaps the most disturbing feature was blows to the face and neck of the horse concerned. In the second video, there's also the use of a solid implement. His attitude must of course be changed if he thinks for one moment he can do anything like this again.”

Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy Taken Off Mounts After Failing Breath Test

Reigning champion British jockey Oisin Murphy was taken off his mounts Friday at Newmarket when he failed a breath test for alcohol, reports The Guardian.

He has been referred to the British Horseracing Authority's disciplinary panel, but a hearing will not be held until after the season concludes on Oct. 16 at Ascot.

Murphy, currently leading the jockey standings, already served a three-month suspension this year after testing positive for cocaine in July of 2020. It is the second breath test Murphy has failed; the first came in 2019 at Salisbury.

I was requested to take a breath test at Newmarket today. I blew under the drink drive limit but over the riding limit. I'm sorry to all the people I've let down today. I take full responsibility. I will be riding tomorrow.

— Oisín Murphy (@oismurphy) October 8, 2021

UK Rules of Racing Changes Confirmed By BHA

Several changes to the British Rules of Racing were confirmed by the British Horseracing Authority on Thursday. These changes, which will come into effect in the coming months, were approved by the BHA Board, following engagement with and feedback from participants and stakeholders. The changes are as follows:

All horses entered to run in a race in Britain must be signed out of the human food chain via its passport by Jan. 1, 2022.
The UK's equine influenza vaccination requirements were updated to bring them in line with other European racing nations.
The rules regarding bisphosphonates were updated to bring them in line with other European racing nations.

For more information on these changes to the Rules of Racing, please click here.

James Given, Director of Equine Health and Welfare for the BHA, said, “The sport's Veterinary Committee made the decision to exclude racehorses who run in Britain from the food chain in January of this year. It was subsequently put out to consultation with the racing industry prior to being approved by the Rules Committee and finally by the BHA Board in September.

“British racing has in place a euthanasia code of practice to aid trainers and owners with end-of-life decisions. The guidance is clear that whenever possible, euthanasia should be performed at home or in suitable surroundings.

“The transporting of horses to an abattoir to be sold for consumption should not, in my view, be classed as euthanasia and is not an approach that we should tolerate in our sport, which is why a rule preventing this practice is a positive step. I am confident that most British trainers and owners agree with me on this and already observe this principle.”

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EFRA Backs Replacement Of Tripartite Agreement

The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee has called on the UK Government to support the British Thoroughbred industry through securing a replacement to the Tripartite Agreement. In a report titled Moving Animals Across Borders, EFRA also called on government to work with the industry on digital solutions to expedite the movement of Thoroughbreds, and to investigate the causes and scale of illegal horse movements. The report, which comes after Thoroughbred industry figures presented evidence to the Select Committee earlier this year, is welcomed by the Thoroughbred Industries Brexit Steering Group.

Ross Hamilton, British Horseracing Authority head of public affairs, who provided oral evidence to the committee, said, “The Thoroughbred Industries Brexit Steering Group welcomes the publication of this important report. We are very grateful to the Select Committee for its careful consideration of the evidence presented by the industry and the clear recommendations for Government, with whom we continue to work closely on improving the arrangements currently in place for Thoroughbred movement.

“The implementation of a high health status for the expedited movement of Thoroughbreds for racing and breeding purposes, utilising the digital solutions such as the Weatherbys' E-Passport already in place in our industry, is an objective which has support across the British and European Thoroughbred sector. It will help support our industry's clear aim to raise animal welfare and health standards further, improve traceability of Thoroughbreds throughout their lives, and help ensure that Britain's world-leading position in the international industry, generating hundreds of millions of pounds in trade annually for the UK economy, can be boosted.”

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