James Tate 'disgruntled' and waiting for answers after Sandown runner is unable to race with hind shoes due to protrusions

James Tate will seek answers from the BHA as to why his horse, Tough Enough, was prevented from running with hind shoes on at Sandown, with the trainer believing stewards and vets were wrong to demand they were removed due to protrusions on the outside of the racing plates.

Tough Enough finished last in the 7f handicap on Saturday having had his hind shoes removed at the start, with a report from the Sandown stewards saying there were “lateral protrusions on [the] rear shoes which were larger than those permitted”.

Tate explained on Sunday that Tough Enough wore hind shoes that were weighted on the outside to prevent him from striking into himself when galloping due to his conformation, and that he had done so in his previous six races without any issue.

The trainer said the extra metalwork was approximately two centimetres in size and had been “rounded off and ground down” by the farrier to ensure there were no sharp edges.

As well as Tough Enough, Tate said he had run other horses in the shoes, with Ocean Wave having been the first to do so when she won at Lingfield on September 1, 2021. The filly had been cleared to run having been inspected by racecourse stewards and vets.

Tate said: “My understanding is that since 2021, there has been guidance passed between the vets and the stewards about horses running in these shoes – but there have been no changes to the rules and we have not been told about this guidance.

“I’m a bit disgruntled by this, I have to say, and I wish I had taken the horse out as he ran no sort of race as he had no hind shoes on.” 

Tough Enough (yellow spot silks): finished last on Saturday after being unable to run with hind shoesCredit: Warren Little

When asked which rule the shoes were deemed to be unacceptable under, Tate said he was pointed to rule 15 by the BHA. The rule states horses must not have protrusions on the sole of the shoe, American-style toe grabs or shoes with a sharp flange.

“This rule doesn’t help them from what I can see,” Tate said. “They may argue that there was a sharp flange, but it has been rounded off and ground down so it’s not sharp or dangerous.

“Nobody has given me a satisfactory answer as to why my horse wasn’t allowed to run with these shoes on as he has done in every other start of his life. I feel it’s a case that they are trying to enforce a rule that they want to have in place but one that has not been written yet. 

“I'm still annoyed about it today and I will have to wait and see what the conclusion of the BHA’s investigation into it is.”

A BHA spokesman said on Sunday that the authority had no further comment to make as the matter was under investigation having been forwarded by the Sandown stewards.

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