PJA: welfare risk is 'the reddest of red herrings'

Non-runners have long been a contentious subject in British racing, and particularly so since the advent of 48-hour declarations.

The issue rose to the surface again in August when the BHA announced a wide-ranging series of recommendations to reduce their numbers.

One of their more controversial measures was that trainers who breached a threshold of 50 per cent more than the average rate for non-runners would have the right to self-certify withdrawn for 12 months – and last week the BHA unveiled league tables naming and shaming those who might fall foul of the new rules.