British Horseracing Authority | Horse Racing Free Tips

UK Jockeys One-Meeting Per Day Protocol to Continue Through 2022

The one-meeting per day protocol for jockeys will continue through 2022, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) confirmed on Wednesday.

Initially introduced as part of measures designed to ensure racing's safe return behind closed doors during the COVID-19 pandemic, the protocol has been extended after consultation with jockeys and other stakeholders. The move was approved by the BHA board and applies to jockeys under both codes to ride at only one meeting per day.

Richard Wayman, Chief Operating Officer of the BHA, said, “Jockeys played a key role in ensuring racing's return in 2020 was a success, adapting to a new way of working in unusual circumstances while still producing at the highest level on the track.

“It is our job to do everything we can to ensure the welfare of our jockeys and it has become clear over the last year that the overwhelming majority of jockeys appreciate no longer competing at multiple meetings per day, and having to contend with the physical and mental pressures this placed upon them.”

Dale Gibson, Executive Director (Racing) of the PJA, said, “Horseracing is incredibly demanding on trainers, jockeys and racing staff, particularly given the size of the fixture list. When you factor in early morning work, extensive mileage, financial uncertainty and the significant physical and mental challenges of being a jockey, it's arguably the most challenging of professional sports for an athlete.

“The PJA conducted a comprehensive jockey welfare survey earlier this year, with almost half the membership responding. The one meeting a day rule was one area we asked members about. The clear message, particularly from Flat jockeys, was that there had been significant benefits to Jockeys from the rule, which for most outweighed any negatives and that the majority, including 72% of Flat jockeys, wanted the rule to remain.

“Based on the survey results, the PJA board had no hesitation in asking the BHA to take this step, and I am sure that the vast majority of the membership will be pleased that it remains in place throughout 2022.”

PJA Joint President PJ McDonald added, “I am very pleased that the one meeting protocol has been extended, and believe strongly that it will benefit the long-term physical and mental health of riders competing today and in the future. This will allow us to achieve a better work-life balance, which is so important whatever your profession.”

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Jockey Colliver Banned For Cocaine Positive

National Hunt jockey Joe Colliver has been banned six months by the British Horseracing Authority after testing positive for a metabolite of cocaine when riding at Wetherby on Feb. 23. Colliver admitted to taking cocaine the weekend before that meeting. Colliver's urine sample was found to contain benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, in a quantity of 1,650ng/ml. The permitted level is 150ng/ml. Colliver's interim suspension began on Mar. 4, so his six-month suspension will be backdated and will expire on Sept. 3.

Solicitor Rory Mac Niece, representing Colliver, said, “Mr. Colliver has asked me to convey in clear terms how very sorry he is that this has happened. He is very keen to publicly apologise to owners and trainers who have supported him throughout his career, but also to the stable staff. He has instructed me that their support has always meant a huge amount to him and continues to do so.”

BHA Panel Chairman James O'Mahoney said, “Racing for jockeys is a hard and tough profession, we are aware of that, but there is a real purpose in the severity of the penalty for people taking cocaine in racing and putting others and horses at risk.”

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British, Irish Bloodstock Markets Introduce New Industry Code Of Practice

The Bloodstock Industry Forum (BIF) is pleased to announce the completion of the new Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice which will be formally incorporated into the rules of British Racing on Aug. 16 and replaces the previous Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice which has been in place since in 2009 and the ITBA Sales Code of Practice, operational since 2010.

The new Code of Practice has been drawn up in response to the central recommendation made in the BHA Review of the Buying and Selling of Bloodstock and Racehorses in British Racing which was released in December 2019.

Commenting on the new Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice, Tattersalls marketing director Jimmy George, who chairs the Bloodstock Industry Forum, said;

“It has been a long process, but in response to the BHA Review of the Buying and Selling of Racehorses and Bloodstock in Britain, the Bloodstock Industry Forum is delighted to have finalized a new, robust Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice which has been approved by all of the key British and Irish industry bodies as well as the British Horseracing Authority and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.

“The new Code of Practice will be formally incorporated into the rules of British Racing and appear in all Tattersalls and Goffs sales catalogs, starting with the forthcoming Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. It will also be widely disseminated and available through all BIF member organizations as well as being subject to regular review. Importantly the new Code of Practice has introduced a complaints procedure independent of the industry bodies and individuals found to be in breach of the Code, either in criminal or civil proceedings or having been sanctioned by the BHA for breach of the code, will also be subject to exclusion from participating at Tattersalls and Goffs sales in Britain and Ireland.

“Second only to the formation of the Bloodstock Industry Forum, replacing the existing Code with a new Code has been the priority in terms of embracing the principal recommendations set out in the BHA Review and we would like to thank all the members of the Bloodstock Industry Forum, which comprises representatives of the BHA, the IHRB, the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, Goffs, The National Trainers Federation, the Racehorse Owners Association, the British and Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Associations, and the Breeze Up Consignors as well as Tattersalls and Goffs, for their commitment to the process from the outset.

“The Bloodstock Industry Forum has also developed an 'E-learning' integrity module which will be adopted as part of the trainer licensing process in Britain as well as being mandatory for members of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, while both Tattersalls and Goffs have committed to making full ownership details readily available to registered potential buyers as recommended in the Review.”

BHA Chief Executive Julie Harrington said;

“The BHA welcomes the publication of the Code of Practice, and the collaborative industry approach that has been taken to achieve this milestone. The Code of Practice has been approved by the BHA's Board and will be incorporated into the Rules of Racing. It will represent a significant step forwards in terms of enhancing trust in the process of buying and selling bloodstock in Britain and Ireland, and was one of the core recommendations of the Review of buying and selling practices of bloodstock and racehorses within British racing which was commissioned by the Board of the BHA.

“It is essential if we are to attract and retain owners in the sport that anyone involved in the purchase of bloodstock can have confidence that they are being treated fairly, and the Code will help further enhance British racing's reputation on this front. My thanks go to Jimmy George and all members of the Bloodstock Integrity Forum for their efforts and determination to reach this point, and we will continue to work with members of the BIF to make further improvements in this area.”

Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby added;

“I am pleased that the British and Irish racing and bloodstock industries have come together to deliver one gold standard to enhance the buying and selling of bloodstock on these shores. From an auction house perspective we certainly insist on the same transparency and high standards of integrity at every sale we conduct regardless of location, and feel this new Code addresses all the issues raised in the BHA report.”

Horse Racing Ireland CEO Brian Kavanagh said;

“Horse Racing Ireland and the IHRB welcome the new Code of Practice. We acknowledge the work and collaboration by the Bloodstock Industry Forum in drafting this document, and look forward to continuing our work with all stakeholders.”

Alongside the completion of the new Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice, Oliver St Lawrence on behalf of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents (FBA) confirmed more rigorous procedures for membership of the association, saying;

“Just like the other members of BIF, the FBA have embraced the principles of the BHA Bloodstock Review and have been heartened by the collaboration and willingness to address comprehensively the issues it highlighted. Together with a raft of other new measures, this upgraded Code should protect Principals with a significant tightening up of the definition of acceptable ethical behavior by all participants in the buying and selling of bloodstock and fully clarifies the law in the UK and Ireland. We at the FBA have tightened our membership requirements, which includes all members undertaking the new bloodstock education course, and are pleased to be endorsed by the BHA, and other BIF members, as an association which represents the highest standards of integrity and the recommended trade body that principals should look to use.”

On behalf of the Bloodstock Industry Forum, Jimmy George concluded;

“The commitment from each member of the Bloodstock Industry Forum to delivering a new Code of Practice has been unwavering and we are confident that we have produced a detailed, robust code, subject to regular review, which will stand the test of time. We share a collective responsibility to preserve and enhance the global reputation for integrity which has always been central to the success of the British and Irish bloodstock industries and the new Code sends out the very clear message that we will do everything in our power to maintain and increase confidence in an industry which is held in the highest esteem throughout the world.”

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BHA Supports Investigation Into Abattoir Images Displayed in Panorama Programme

Following the broadcasting of the BBC's programme Panorama: The Dark Side of Horse Racing on Monday evening, the British Horseracing Authority announced its support to investigate the images of horses being euthanized in situations which may have harmed their welfare. In addition, several leaders from the British racing industry including the BHA, as well as the Horse Welfare Board will be meeting to discuss further issues raised by the Panorama programme on Tuesday. The BHA will also be in contact with Horse Racing Ireland over the contents of the programme. which, it suggests, show horses, including former racehorses, being euthanised in circumstances which may have harmed their welfare. They also reported that some of the horses had been transported from Ireland to a British abattoir.

The BHA said in a statement, “No one in racing, and no one who loves horses, wants to see them caused distress or suffering at the end of their lives. If there has been a departure from approved abattoir practices and the welfare of the horses involved has been compromised, it is important this is addressed as a matter of urgency. This includes transporting horses over long distances to an abattoir, especially if these have injuries, which is not acceptable under the British racing industry's guidelines for euthanasia.

“The Food Standards Agency, which regulates abattoirs, is responsible for maintaining standards of animal welfare. We would support them if they decide there is evidence of mistreatment of animals which requires investigation, given the public concern that may arise from this programme

“The British racing industry, and the 7000 and more staff who look after our horses day-in, day-out, across Britain, are proud of the unparalleled standards of love, care, attention, and respect our horses receive. Where end-of life decisions are being considered, we want these to take place in accordance with the euthanasia guidelines developed by the industry's Horse Welfare Board over the last 12 months. These aim to ensure that horses' welfare is protected and that all available options for rehoming are examined.

“Our sport has set out its wider approach to equine welfare in a strategy published in 2020, which the programme chose not to highlight. One of the core aspects of this strategy is collective lifetime responsibility, and the report identified the need to further enhance our record in the fields of aftercare and traceability.”

The BHA has already taken significant steps since publishing the above strategy, including:

A review and recommendations for the funding of the aftercare sector;
The introduction of euthanasia guidelines for the industry;
Improving traceability of racehorses, including greater use of digital passports to assist in tracking cross-border horse movements
The development of a £2.5m emergency COVID relief fund for thoroughbreds that risk falling into neglect. So far, this fund has not needed to be used.

Later on Monday evening, the National Trainers Federation also released a statement condemning the practices show in the Panorama broadcast. The statement read: “The scenes at the abattoir shown in Panorama tonight were sickening and the National Trainers Federation (NTF) has no hesitation in condemning those practices. We note that the programme produced no examples of horses trained in Britain suffering a similar fate at this or any other abattoir.

Britain has a well-established and highly esteemed programme for rehoming racehorses trained in this country. Managed by the industry's charity Retraining of Racehorses, the programme has successfully expanded the market for racehorses to move on to new careers away from the racecourse. Such is the demand, our trainers tell us that they have no difficulty finding good new homes for retired racehorses.

Along with all other stakeholders and participants in British horseracing, the NTF fully supports the industry's Horse Welfare Strategy published in 2020 under the auspices of the independently chaired Horse Welfare Board. The strategy notes that “Euthanasia can…sometimes be effective in preventing unnecessary suffering and avoiding a welfare problem.” British trainers take a responsible and compassionate approach with racehorses that have long term injuries. If a vet recommends euthanasia, their aim would be to carry it out at the trainer's premises in a professional and humane way in accordance with the industry's euthanasia guidelines.”

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