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The Benvenuto Cellini controversy - how would other major racing jurisdictions have handled it?

Quisisana (centre) leaving the stalls ahead of her third to Romantic Warrior in the Hong Kong Cup
Hong Kong and Australia are among the other racing jurisdictions to have a "fair start" clause in their rulebookCredit: Edward Whitaker, Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
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As the debate grows over the decision of the Epsom stewards to declare Derby favourite Benvenuto Cellini a non-runner 20 minutes after the race had been run, the BHA has said that the introduction of Rule (H)6 was at least partly motivated by a wider effort to harmonise rules across different racing jurisdictions.

The BHA said on Monday: "The change aligned Britain with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) model rule and the approach applied by most other major racing nations. Its introduction followed engagement with and feedback from industry stakeholders, including participants and the betting industry."

Hong Kong and Australia are among the leading nations to have a "fair start" rule, with the Hong Kong Jockey Club devoting a three-minute video to the subject in the rules of racing FAQ section of its website, where a raceday steward explains circumstances in which a horse would and would not be deemed a non-runner. 

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France correspondent

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