'It needs to be supported' - leading owner Ged Mason backs Cheltenham push for 100,000 petition signatures

Owner Ged Mason, who is chasing victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham this weekend, has backed the racecourse's efforts to get racegoers to sign a petition to halt affordability checks.

Cheltenham is seeking to engage an estimated 60,000 racegoers attending the three-day November meeting, which starts on Friday, with the petition through on-course messaging.

Mason, who shares many of his horses with former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, and sponsors Paul Nicholls through his Morson Group company, said the petition needed "to be supported" in an effort to reach 100,000 signatures.

Once the petition reaches six figures it will be considered for debate in parliament. On Thursday, close to 85,000 people had backed calls to end plans for affordability checks on punters, which have been proposed as part of the government's gambling review white paper.

Racegoers at Cheltenham over the next three days will see messaging in the racecard and on big screens urging them to "save our sport" by signing the petition. A QR code that can be scanned using a mobile phone will take people directly to the petition page to sign it.

Mason said: "I can see why people want to support the petition and push it out there. I'm not a big gambler myself, but if it helps other people with their betting it's a good thing.

"I know Paul's a big supporter of the petition and it needs to be supported, so it's a good thing Cheltenham are getting the message out there further."

Mason is set to be represented in the two feature races at Cheltenham on Saturday and Sunday, with Il Ridoto contesting the Paddy Power Gold Cup, while L’Eau Du Sud and Sonigino are due to line up in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle.

Il Ridoto finished fourth in last year's Paddy Power Gold Cup and will be partnered this year by conditional rider Freddie Gingell, with Harry Cobden riding the other Paul Nicholls-trained runner Stage Star.

Mason said: "He's not had a big build-up to the race – it's not like Paul's been saying to us this is 'his' race – but we feel the race will suit him and he's going there with a good chance. He's run well at Cheltenham before, so we know he handles the course, and the jockey is taking off five pounds, so we think he's got a good chance all in all."

Il Ridoto: big chance in the Paddy Power Gold CupCredit: Ian MacNicol

Of his Greatwood Hurdle pair, Mason added: "We've got one with Dan [Skelton] and one with Paul in the same race on Sunday, so that should be fun. That said, sometimes you think you have two bites at the apple and something else comes through and takes it off of you! I think they both have chances."

Support for the petition was also given on Thursday by Michael Dickinson, the trainer-turned-entrepreneur who has been mainly based in the US since leaving Britain in the late 1980s.

Speaking at Southwell, Dickinson said: "I signed it and forwarded the email to all my friends in England to do the same. It's about freedom.

"I've got enough money to have a bet and I don't want to have to fill out government forms. It would never happen in America, they value their freedom."

Punters and the racing industry are being called on to sign a petition calling on the government to stop the implementation of affordability checks. You can sign the petition here.

Read more:

Owners' chief warns of 'disastrous' consequences of affordability checks and urges petition sign-ups 

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'He must have a major say' - why this horse can win the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham plus 1-2-3 predictions 

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