British trainers urge BHA to rethink 'mindless' policy after Stratford loses race due to three declarations

The BHA’s race deletion policy has been described as a “mindless approach”, with British trainers urging a rethink after a race was cancelled on Stratford’s evening card on Thursday.

A novice handicap chase at the fixture was scrapped after attracting three declarations, with the novice limited handicap hurdle split into two six-runner divisions to ensure a six-race card.

The race deletion policy was brought in at the start of last year, with any Class 4-6 handicap on the Flat and Class 4-5 handicap over jumps facing cancellation if receiving three or fewer declarations – subject to a minimum of at least six races remaining at the fixture.

The National Trainers Federation (NTF), with the support of stakeholders in the industry, asked the BHA board to cease the policy in November, and last month wrote to the governing body to ask it to reconsider its position.

It is understood the policy was discussed at a BHA board meeting in November and will be continued for the duration of the two-year fixture list trial, with the option to reconsider, with the benefit of all available data, at the conclusion of the trial at the end of this year.

Paul Johnson, NTF chief executive, said: “We view this initiative as flawed as it just seeks to bury the issue of small-field races by removing a small number after declarations. It does so without a thought for the sports biggest investors who will have paid training fees to be able to watch their horse compete and then find out at two days’ notice that the target has moved.

“It’s also short-changing the sport's customers. Thanks to this intervention the card at Stratford will now offer each-way betting for three places on one race instead of two and the already low number of runners on the card is further depleted.

“The NTF opposed this initiative from the outset, preferring to pursue initiatives that encourage ownership and the running of horses. In November last year we brought a proposal forward to cease the trial due to the ill-feeling that it was causing to those who were impacted. 

“This went to the BHA board with the support of all stakeholder groups and we were extremely surprised to see the BHA board felt so strongly about this that they determined that the trial should continue. We now consider this to be a BHA initiative rather than an industry one as it would appear that there is no support for it anywhere apart from in the BHA boardroom. 

“We’re very supportive of a strong BHA that is prepared to make decisions for the good of the sport, accepting that this will sometimes be without the support of stakeholders – but it is unfortunate that they seem to have chosen to step up on an initiative that has no discernible benefits and lots of downsides, while the really important matters go unaddressed.”

Charlie Longsdon: "This is one way to push owners out of the game"Credit: Alex Davidson (Getty Images)

Charlie Longsdon was one of the three trainers who declared runners for the cancelled novice handicap chase and shared his frustration about the policy.

Longsdon said: “It’s ridiculous to have these race abandonments, especially in this instance when it’s leading to six-runner divisions of a 0-95.

“It’s mad, given all the time and effort you put into finding the right race for your horse, that it can suddenly get taken away from underneath you. It seems a mindless approach and the BHA needs to start listening to trainers about this.

“This is one way to push owners out of the game. It’s frustrating not to get a run, having planned their day, and it’s not a satisfactory outcome for anyone involved with the horse.”

On the decision to cancel the novice handicap chase at Stratford, a BHA spokesperson said: “The decision to divide the 12-runner handicap hurdle into two six-runner races to allow the deletion of one of the three-runner races was taken in line with the current BHA race deletion policy.”

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