Horses in training down 15 per cent as figures confirm coronavirus cutback fears

Initial figures obtained from the BHA hint at the extent that owners have been forced to cut back in the wake of Covid-19 and the racing shutdown, with horse numbers down by 15 per cent year on year.

Tom Dascombe told the Racing Post "horses are going out of training left, right and centre" earlier this week and official figures would appear to bear out his claim.

When asked by the Post to look at numbers of horses in training, the BHA found that on April 1 there were 14,779 horses (excluding hunter chasers) on licensed premises. That compares to 17,356 on the same date last year.