BHA bids to ease Nars quiz tension and backs efforts to raise standards

The BHA has moved to calm tension between the National Association of Racing Staff and National Trainers Federation after the publication of a ‘spoof’ Christmas quiz highlighting 12 serious allegations the stable staff union has dealt with in the past year.

Racing's governing body acknowledged "pockets of poor practice" remain but was confident the "often excellent" standard of working practices can continue to be raised with collective responsibility from those working within the sport, while the BHA also offered its support to staff at risk.

Nars angered the NTF when publishing the quiz, written by its chief executive George McGrath, with the trainers' body critical of the way the allegations were used in a “publicly provocative manner”, adding in a statement: “The NTF has strived to develop a constructive relationship with Nars; Nars seems determined to undermine it.”

The 12 questions, which all ask the reader to 'name the trainer', highlighted allegations relating to topics such as holiday pay, the rights of part-time staff, underpaying, ignoring medical concerns, gender equality and a trainer arrested for the assault of a female member of staff.

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However, on Monday the BHA attempted to cool the heated words exchanged by the two bodies by emphasising how much racing has focused on improving employment practices in recent years. The BHA also highlighted the various ways anyone working in racing can access support.

BHA executive director Will Lambe said: "The NTF and Nars should both be congratulated on the significant progress made in the creation of a more modern and progressive working environment, which has come with the full and active support of the BHA.

“Most of the examples raised by Nars are issues of employment law, and not within the remit of the BHA to resolve directly. However, one of the cases refers to the safeguarding and protection of a member of stable staff, which is an area that does fall under the BHA’s remit.

"While we cannot comment on individual cases, the BHA is able to use its investigative and/or licensing functions to act on issues reported to it where appropriate, and this will include working with other authorities where relevant.

“We hope that anyone who feels at risk – or knows of someone else who might be at risk – feels that they can report this, and is aware of the channels to do so.

"They can do this either direct to the BHA, or through the sport’s confidential reporting line, 0800 085 2580, which is being relaunched in the coming weeks. In particular, we have developed significant expertise within our safeguarding function, in order to protect the young and vulnerable, and indeed support employers."

Lambe continued: "Our sport also provides excellent support and advice services to trainers and stable staff regarding employment law and workers’ rights through their representative bodies.

"In general, good, and often excellent, working practices are followed, but there is a collective responsibility among trainers and stable staff – and the sport as a whole – to continue to raise standards and reduce the pockets of poor practice that sadly still exist.

“The British racing industry has focused considerable effort in recent years on putting in place significantly improved employment practices, and enhanced training and welfare provision, to attract and retain high-quality staff.

“We look forward to working constructively with the NTF and Nars as we look to bring about further improvement and showcase a career in racing as one in which staff are invested in, respected and rewarded.”

The Nars 12 days of Christmas quiz

1 Name the trainer that thinks part-time staff do not have the right to holidays? There is more than one correct answer to this question.

2 Name the trainer that thinks part time members of staff are not entitled to receive pool money?

3 Name the trainer who believes he is above the law by refusing to pay for work completed?

4 Name the trainer who thinks he can refuse to pay his staff because he doesn't agree with their lifestyle?

5 Name the trainer who keeps the best turned out money to pay for diesel in the horsebox?

6 Name the trainer who does not believe he has to abide by a doctor's note and told the member to return to work (member broke their hand)?

7 Name the trainer who paid his staff £120 per week for working eight hour mornings six days a week?

8 Name the trainer whose secretary gets four times the pool money that the staff receive?

9 Name the trainer who refused to carry out a risk assessment on a pregnant member of staff (legally required)?

10 Name the trainer who refuses to pay sick pay?

11 Name the trainer that pays his female riders less than the male counterparts with similar ability?

12 Name the trainer who was arrested for assaulting a female member of staff?

George McGrath: Nars chief executive produced a spoof Christmas quizCredit: Nars

The quiz was published on the back page of the union’s biannual newsletter, sent to approximately 7,000 members around Christmas. It featured 12 questions on serious allegations that McGrath has said were all legitimate cases.

Lambourn trainer Jamie Osborne posted the questions on Twitter over the weekend and stated on Sunday it was inappropriate “to trivialise in such a flippant manner serious allegations against racehorse trainers”.

McGrath responded by saying most trainers were model employers but insisted he had been pushed into using what he described as a spoof quiz to showcase some of the serious issues stable staff face and on which he believes the NTF has failed to properly engage its members.

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