The Racing Hub Round-up: the week’s top stories

Your weekly round-up of top racing stories in a nutshell, plus upcoming fixtures

Racing and Racecourses

BHA chair, Annamarie Phelps (pictured) warned British racing that the issue of racehorse welfare will not be going away whoever wins the general election and that the sport risks having change forced upon it if it does not open up to greater external scrutiny. Speaking at the 249th Gimcrack Dinner at York she said: “The sport’s right to regulate itself on horse welfare has been challenged by two of the main UK parties in this election, with one focused on the issue of the whip. Whoever wins or loses, this challenge isn’t going away. If racing wants to retain self-regulation, it will need to show, in my view, greater external scrutiny of horse welfare standards. If racing doesn’t ensure this, it may be forced upon us.” – Phelps said the sport’s new Horse Welfare Board would be publishing its industry strategy in the New Year, and that it would show racing “to be leading, not reacting to the conversation about the participation of horses in sport”, adding: “If we were all entirely comfortable with it, we wouldn’t be pushing ourselves hard enough.”, going on to say: “This is an opportunity to get on the front foot – demonstrating that the power of racing is matched by the responsibility we take for our horses.”

The BHA said it would revise the system for announcing void races after the wait of more than 30 minutes to confirm the last race at Sandown on Saturday have been declared void – punters and bookmakers were left in limbo whilst an inquiry was held into the failure of seven jockeys to stop riding when the yellow flag had been raised following the fatal heart attack suffered by Houblon Des Obeaux on the first circuit at what was the third from last fence – the seven jockeys Jamie Davies, Philip Donovan, Daryl Jacob, Jamie Moore, Stan Sheppard, Harry Skelton and Adam Wedge are to appeal against receiving 10-day bans for failing to stop riding (see the latest Of Course comment column http://wp.me/p8e3Dl-35B)

Dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll and jockey legends Pat Smullen and Ruby Walsh (pictured) were the stars of the show at Horse Racing Irelands Annual Awards – the winners were

• Horse of the Year: Tiger Roll
• Irish Racing Hero: Pat Smullen and Ruby Walsh
• Contribution to the Industry: Tony O’Hehir
• Emerging Talent: Darragh O’Keeffe
• National Hunt: Rachael Blackmore 
• National Hunt Achievement: Gavin Cromwell
• Flat: Jessica Harrington
• Flat Achievement: Wayne Lordan 
• Point-to-Point: Colin Bowe
• Ride of the Year: Billy Lee (on Space Traveller in the Clipper Logistics Boomerang Stakes at Leopardstown’s Irish Champions Weekend)
• Racecourse of the Year: Naas

Horses

After running in the Becher Chase, Definitly is likely to be aimed at the Grand National – trainer Brian Ellison said “I thought he jumped great the other day and he seems to have come out of the race well, so all being well, we’ll aim for the National. He probably won’t run again until February now, after the National weights have come out. The handicapper dropped him 1lb, which was nice of him.”

Connections of Buveur D’Air say he’s making good progress after surgery to remove a piece of wood that stuck in his off-fore hoof when he hit the second-last flight in Newcastle’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle – “It’s so far, so good. He’s walking quite well. It’s going to take a bit of time, but the vets have been happy with the progress he’s making.” said Frank Berry, racing manager to owner J P McManus

If conditions are testing enough Native River might join stablemate Lostintranslation in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase– trainer Colin Tizzard said  “I hope it rains every day between now and Kempton, then I might run Native River,” adding “If the ground came up soft or even heavy, then he could be supplemented.”

After unseating Nico de Boinville only four fences into the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree Might Bite could revert to hurdles for his next race – trainer Nicky Henderson said “It is frustrating. Now I’m in real trouble. I could even think about a hurdle race, as where do I find a race (over fences) for him?”

Jockeys and Trainers

Hollie Doyle rode her 107th winner in the calendar year, a record for a female jockey, when she caught Jochi Khan on the line to win with Class Clown for David Barron at Southwell – taking the record of Josephine Gordon, Doyle said: “I’m very luck and really grateful to all those who have supported me. I set out to ride as many winners as could this year, so to achieve a new British record is very satisfying and a wonderful way to end 2019.”

A number of trainers have criticised new BHA rules to give apprentice jockeys a larger share of their prize-money winnings and riding fees which will come into force next March, with the National Trainers Federation saying it was unable to support the new rules, which trainer Richard Fahey described as “very disappointing” and said he “won’t be having any more apprentices after my current ones”, whilst Andrew Balding has cancelled arrangements for four apprentice jockeys to join his Kingsclere Stables next year and written to the BHA saying that they had “seriously underestimated” opposition to the rules among trainers – currently, Flat trainers keep up to 50% of an apprentice’s riding fee and prize-money yields, depending on their claim and regardless of whom they rode for, in return for paying towards the jockey’s expenses; under the new rules apprentices will keep no less than 80% of their riding fee and prize-money but trainers won’t have to pay their expenses

Racing People

John Benstead, who trained in Epsom and had nearly 1,000 winners, has died aged 91 – he gave Walter Swinburn his first winning ride in 1978 and trained dual Cambridgeshire winner Baronet

Legendary head lad for Fulke Walwyn, Raymond ‘Darkie’ Deacon, who looked after 1973 Gold Cup winner The Dikler, has died at the age if 90

Betting

Former Labour MP and shadow culture secretary Michael Dauger will become the first chief executive of gambling trade body the Betting and Gaming Council in spring 2020 – Dauger said “Creating a safe gambling environment will be my priority.”

Talks between Irish bookmakers and Irish racecourses have been held following a threatened strike by Irish on-course layers concerned about race times, scheduling and the cost to them of attending fixtures – the first meeting was described by the bookmakers’ professional association as “constructive” with “goodwill from both parties”

Media

Punchestown racecourse general manager and Horse Racing Ireland media rights chair, Conor O’Neill, said he was “very disappointed” that the early stages John Durkan Memorial  Chase was shown by Racing TV on a split-screen and without commentary, adding “it’s an ongoing issue that we’re in discussions over and we’ll have to look into it. It’s not ideal.” – Racing TV said “we will review today’s output and the processes in place and will continue close dialogue with the BHA, HRI and the racecourses about the planning and management of race times to improve the scheduling” (see the latest Of Course comment column http://wp.me/p8e3Dl-35B)

British Racing Fixtures

Fixtures subject to change. ITV/ITV4

More on The Racing Hub

Update http://wp.me/P8e3Dl-Mx