BHA shelves controversial idea to limit trainers to four runners in major handicaps

Controversial proposals to limit the number of horses a trainer can run in major handicaps have been shelved by the BHA, although the governing body said it would keep the issue "under review".

Last month the Racing Post revealed the governing body had written to a number of stakeholders to tell them it was contemplating the move and to seek their views.

The proposition had been prompted in part by the prestigious Troytown Chase at Navan in November, in which trainer Gordon Elliott was responsible for a record 14 of the 20 runners.

That had raised concerns about the potential for a small number of trainers to be able to stifle competition in major handicaps, especially the Randox Grand National at Aintree where the maximum field has been reduced to 34 runners from 40 this season.

The BHA had proposed a change to the rules of racing that would mean a trainer would be limited to declaring a maximum of four runners in any individual handicap at Class 1 or Class 2 level.

Following the news, Elliott branded the proposals as "ridiculous", while Gigginstown House Stud's Eddie O'Leary said horses running in their colours would be switched to other trainers to circumvent any new rule.

Gordon Elliott had criticised the BHA's proposalsCredit: Edward Whitaker

The decision not to go ahead with the proposals was made following a meeting of the BHA board this week. A spokesperson said: “As we said at the time, on occasion the BHA will seek views of industry participants on a range of issues. 

“In this case, prompted in part by the situation where one trainer saddled 14 of the 20 runners in the Troytown Chase in Ireland, we gathered opinions on a topic which is sometimes debated across the sport, regarding potentially imposing a limit on the number of runners one trainer can run in a major handicap. The issue was discussed in the context of sustaining the sport’s ongoing appeal to customers. 

“Having considered the feedback and discussed the matter with the sport’s commercial committee and BHA board, it has been agreed not to take any immediate action in regards to this matter, but to keep the issue under review."

Had the BHA decided to take its proposals further it would have needed to act quickly in order for them to come into force in time for this season's Grand National, for which entries close on February 6.

Grand National-winning trainer Richard Newland had backed the BHA's idea and was sorry to hear it had been shelved, while remaining under review.

"I'm disappointed because it looked like quite a positive initiative," he said. "Are they going to wait until we've got 15 Gordon Elliott horses in the Grand National, then we'll have another chat about it?

"We have an underlying problem that the BHA don't know how to address and that is the utter dominance of Irish National Hunt racing. Understandably UK owners are leaving, they feel they can't compete to win at Cheltenham and Aintree."     

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