'For the industry to rally behind welfare campaign with such full-throated support is immensely heartening'

BHA chief executive Julie Harrington has welcomed the "unprecedented" response to its attempt to publicise racing's welfare standards and challenge misinformation.

The "HorsePWR campaign" was launched this week in the lead-up to the Randox Grand National, a race which focuses attention on the sport and in which Hill Sixteen was killed last year, after protest group Animal Rising stormed the track and tried to stop it from taking place.

A website has been set up, which includes information about the lives of racehorses, answers to frequently asked questions about the sport and fatality statistics. The long-term aim is to connect and engage with significantly wider audiences 

"The response to our HorsePWR campaign is unprecedented for racing," Harrington said. "For the industry to rally behind this cause with such full-throated support is immensely heartening.

"We deliberately took a bold and innovative approach to tackling welfare concerns fully aware that it carried a risk of a negative response in some quarters.

"But the way the sport has readily embraced this new concept shows just how much everyone in it recognises that perceptions around welfare are a critical issue for our future. It also shows that we recognise the need to be open, transparent and to tackle welfare concerns head-on."

Harrington is keen that racing should get its message across to the wider public and said: "We should have confidence in what we do and understand that it is through education and information that we will build trust in the sport.

"We are extremely grateful to all the organisations and individuals who have supported the campaign.

"This is just the start and it is important to recognise that the impact campaigns have should never be judged on one day alone. We want to grow the campaign and use it to reach wider audiences. We also call on the sport to continue to promote and support the campaign as much as possible. It is in everyone’s best interest to do so."

The campaign, whose first stage has been funded by the BHA, Great British Racing and the Jockey Club, is claimed to have a potential reach of 8.2million people on social media in its early days. It has had more than 2,400 interactions and been shared and commented on around the world.

BHA figures also show that it had received 684 mentions on more traditional media (including regional and digital), which would have an advertising value estimated at £700,000.

Read these next:

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'What he brought to the family was incredible' - Christian Williams has faith in 'very special' Kitty's Light for Grand National 

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