'We voted with our feet' - Ralph Beckett doubles down on criticism of Newbury

Ralph Beckett has said trainers needed to make a statement, after being asked what drove the boycott of the final race at Newbury on Saturday.

On Thursday, none of the 13 entries for a 1m2f novice for fillies aged three and older were declared. Newbury's seven-race card was subsequently reduced to six because of the poor prize-money offered.

Beckett, who is president of the National Trainers Federation (NTF), explained it was not a planned boycott, but a stand had to be made.

"It happened very easily. Originally, the race was worth £5,300 which I think makes it the least valuable fillies' novice run this year. It's now worth £6,500. If there were any runners, that would have made it the [joint] second-least valuable," Beckett told ITV Racing.

"Newbury's prize-money has been derisory for some time and it's not just at this level. Newbury said they would increase prize-money in 2017 - long before the pandemic. It may happen, but it doesn't help us trainers right now. We have to start buying yearlings next month.

Newbury's Super Sprint card has been reduced to six races after the boycottCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

"Coming up there are three six-furlong Group 2s; the Richmond is worth £150,000, the Gimcrack £250,000 and the Mill Reef is worth £75,000. This problem is from top to bottom.

"The racecourses don't want to reduce race volume, which means we can go wherever we want, and effectively we voted with our feet."

Earlier in the year, racing's leaders shelved plans to reduce the 2023 race programme by around 300 races and Beckett believes the statement made at Newbury is a strong one.

"The RCA [Racecourse Association] chose not to reduce race volume, they voted against it," he said. "The trainers voted to reduce it only last month yet the BHA went with a section of racecourses that jumped up and down most.

"It's part of a wider picture, it's not just about individual races. It's part of what needs to happen and urgently. If the BHA and the RCA aren't prepared to do anything about it then trainers are."

Responding to news of the boycott on Thursday, Newbury's chief executive Julian Thick said the racecourse was transparent with funding for prize-money and referred to the fact the track would increase its purses next year thanks to a new media contract.

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