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Minimum Horse Welfare Standards Published by IFHA

The IFHA Minimum Horse Welfare Standards were published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities on Monday. The standards are in line with the IFHA’s terms of reference that include promoting best practice, harmonization and information exchange across racing nations. They also complement recent reforms that ensure traceability of horses from their foal stage through into retirement and beyond. Racing authorities should refer to this guidance to establish accepted horse welfare practices in their jurisdiction and to set minimum standards of participant behaviour, including behavioural change where necessary.

“The IFHA affirms the central role of the horse in racing, and accordingly, regards the health and welfare of racehorses, in all stages of life, to be fundamentally important to the viability and sustainability of the industry,” said IFHA Chairman Louis Romanet. “The Executive Council of the Federation endorses this IFHA Minimum Horse Welfare Standards document and I want to thank our Horse Welfare Committee Chairman Jamie Stier for leading the efforts to produce this useful and practical guide for racing authorities.”

The IFHA Horse Welfare Committee prepared the standards, in part, by basing them upon sections of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) “Thoroughbred Welfare Assessment Guidelines” (Oct. 2019) which were developed by NZTR with the assistance of Professor Emeritus David Mellor, Foundation Director of the Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre at Massey University, New Zealand. A short video and podcast featuring the aforementioned RV Executive General Manager Integrity Services Jamie Stier, Mellor, and Dr. Lynn Hillyer, Chief Veterinary Officer and Head of Anti-Doping for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board and moderated by Rishi Persad have also been produced in conjunction with the standards (click here to view). For more information, go to www.ifhaonline.org.

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BHA Revises Stop Race Procedure

A new stop race procedure, to take effect on Jan. 4, was revealed by the British Horseracing Authority on Monday. The revised procedure was developed by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in conjunction with the Racecourse Association (RCA) and the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) and have been made to ensure the procedure is as clear and safe as possible for riders, racecourse staff and for those on course.

The changes are as follows:

The stop race flag has been re-designed from yellow to orange and yellow quarters, to be as visible as possible and consistent with other racing jurisdictions
The stop race procedure now explicitly requires multiple flags to be deployed, either in multiple locations or multiple flags in one location if that is all that is possible
Fox 40 whistles will continue to be used, but there will now be no additional verbal instructions to ensure only the sound of the whistle can be heard
There will be tailored announcements via the public address system to ensure there is as much clarity as possible for those on course and broadcasters

The stop race flag will continue to be used by starters and advanced flag operators to ensure there is consistency for riders and that deployment of the stop race flag means they must cease riding. To view the current procedures, click here and to view the new procedure, click here.

“It is of paramount importance for the safety of all those involved, whether riding in the race or officiating the stop race procedures, that there is absolute clarity about what to do when the stop race flag is deployed,” said BHA Head of Raceday Officials Cathy O’Meara. “Under these revised procedures there will be one type of highly visible flag, deployed either in multiple locations or multiple times in one location, and one sound, to denote that riders must stop riding.

“We’ve also added in more clarity for those watching on course or via broadcasters, to ensure communication is clearer in the event of a void race. Working closely with the RCA and PJA has allowed us to come up with new procedures which we believe will work for everyone, and above all ensure that all the relevant parties are clear about what to do if a race has to be stopped.”

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Southwell to Switch to Tapeta Surface

Southwell Racecourse’s fibresand surface will be replaced by Tapeta this spring and the project will be completed by the summer of 2021, the Arena Racing Company announced on Monday. A planning application was submitted for the new surface because the fibresand has come to the end of its operational life. Fibresand was first laid down in 1989, the start of all-weather racing at the Nottinghamshire venue. Tapeta, developed by Michael Dickinson and Joan Wakefield of Tapeta Footings, has already been laid down at Wolverhampton and Newcastle-also ARC courses-since 2014 and 2016, respectively. It is also in use in North America at Presque Isle Downs, Golden Gate Fields and Turfway Park Stateside, as well as Woodbine in Canada. This project follows the construction of floodlights in 2019 and the development of a flood alleviation scheme to protect the racecourse.

“Racing at both Wolverhampton and Newcastle has benefitted hugely from the installation of Tapeta, as we have worked closely with Michael Dickinson, Joan Wakefield and their team on the maintenance and upkeep of both surfaces,” said ARC Chief Executive Martin Cruddace. “Tapeta represents the next generation of artificial all-weather racing surface, in terms of its appeal to both trainers and jockeys, and it offers a number of benefits regarding its safety record, relative lack of kickback and fairness for horses. In addition, it has the ability to handle very low temperatures and significant rainfall.

“The installation of Tapeta will give us an opportunity to look at the flat programme at Southwell and possibly introduce some Fast Track Qualifier races for the All-Weather Championships, for example. This work represents another significant step forward for racing at Southwell, which we intend to be one of the finest all-weather tracks in the world.”

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Deirdre To Visit Galileo In 2021

A new direction in the extraordinary odyssey of the Japanese mare Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}-Reizend {Jpn, by Special Week {Jpn}) began on Monday when the 6-year-old left her adopted home of Newmarket to begin her stud career in Ireland. Her first mating is planned to be with Coolmore’s champion sire Galileo (Ire).

Bred by Northern Farm and raced by Toji Morita, Deirdre’s first three seasons of racing were restricted largely to Japan, where she won five races, including the G1 Shuka Sho. She also took third in the G1 Dubai Turf on her first start outside her native country. Following her return visit to the Dubai World Cup meeting in 2019, Deirdre travelled on to Hong Kong and then to Newmarket, which has subsequently remained her base for an ambitious international campaign.

On her second start in Britain she became the first Japanese-trained horse to win a Group 1 contest in Europe when triumphing in the Nassau S. at Goodwood. Since then, she has run in Ireland, Saudi Arabia, France and, finally, Bahrain last month.

Yoshi Hashida, whose father Mitsuru has trained Deirdre throughout her career, told TDN, “She is going to the next phase but the moments we spent in Newmarket and around the world will be the memories we cherish forever. She will visit Galileo and probably stay in Ireland for two or three years before returning to Japan.”

Throughout her lengthy stay in England at Abington Place, Deirdre has been accompanied by her daily rider Yuta Komiyama, who has become as well known on Newmarket Heath as his famous mount.

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