Highclere boss: British racing could be 'ripped to pieces' by intrusive affordability checks

The founder of the hugely successful Highclere Thoroughbred Racing operation has spoken of his fears that British racing could be "ripped to pieces" by the impact of intrusive affordability checks.

Highclere racing manager Harry Herbert said the potential consequences had hit him like "a juggernaut" having heard of the experiences of affordability checks from some of his shareholders, and that they might consider whether to continue in ownership as a result of them.

Those comments echoed similar sentiments voiced by owners in recent weeks and months. Last weekend the Racing Post reported that the intrusion of affordability checks had led one owner to warn they would reduce the motivation to own racehorses.

Affordability checks are expected to feature in the government's long-delayed gambling review white paper, although ministers have indicated they will not be anywhere near as stringent as those being put forward by campaigners for reform.

However, bookmakers have introduced intrusive financial checks on punters requesting financial details such as bank statements and P60s for fear of heavy punishment from the Gambling Commission. Estimates have put the cost of the checks already in place to the sport's finances at £40 million.

Herbert is one of the best-connected figures in British racing through Highclere, as well as being on the board of directors at Newbury racecourse.

He said that one Highclere shareholder he had spoken to said that he had had "all bar one or possibly a couple of accounts closed down because he is not prepared to hand over what he considers to be highly personal information".

Herbert added: "He said I'm asked for bank statements, I'm asked for pension details, I'm asked about my mortgage and the value of my home, savings details, ISAs. It's draconian, it's extraordinary that people are being asked for this sort of information."

Herbert said the Highclere shareholder had told him that he was not prepared to share such information. He added: "Friends of his and others who talk to us say that this will inevitably mean people don't bet or bet less – and we know what that is going to do to racing through the levy. But also he said it reduced his interest in having a horse.

"He said he wasn't saying that he wasn't going to have shares in our syndicates again, but he would be thinking a lot more carefully about it. At every level for racing that's a pretty terrifying statement. We have got to shout loud and clear. He and others have written to their MPs seeing whether this can be turned around, otherwise I really feel this is a nail in racing's coffin with everything else going on."

Harbinger: 2010 King George winner one of many Highclere stars down the yearsCredit: Edward Whitaker

Highclere's famous blue colours have been carried by numerous champions including Harbinger and Petrushka, but Herbert spoke of his fears for the future should the introduction of intrusive checks not be reversed.

He said: "This is absolutely mindboggling that in front of our eyes our sport is going to be ripped to pieces. I am not a gambler myself – I might have a few quid here and there but tiny in the big picture – so I wasn't as tuned into this until it hit me like a juggernaut in the last few days of hearing these stories. Hearing these stories from shareowners of mine, this is going to have a really appalling effect on our industry."

Viscount Astor, who sits in the House of Lords, added his voice to concerns about the issue of affordability pushing racing to "a crisis point" in a letter to the Racing Post on Tuesday.

A member of the All-Party Racing and Bloodstock Group and Betting and Gaming Group, Astor urged gambling minister Paul Scully to produce the government's gambling review white paper as soon as possible and added "it is a bizarre world in which a customer can go into a supermarket to buy a bottle of whisky without any checks, but then be denied placing a bet for the same amount in a betting shop."

British racing's leadership will have received some comfort from Scully's comments in a speech at the Betting and Gaming Council's annual meeting last week when he said it was not the job of government or the Gambling Commission "to tell people how much of their salary they are 'allowed to' spend on gambling".

Scully also said the government's proposals would be better described as "financial risk" checks, and that they would look at making such checks "frictionless", but much will depend on the consultation process due to take place after the white paper appears. The minister said the document setting out the government's proposals for gambling reform would be published "in the coming weeks".

Concerns about affordability checks have also been raised by trainers John Gosden and Stuart Williams, along with National Trainers Federation chief executive Paul Johnson, while the threat of the black market has been raised by bloodstock agent and serious punter Bernard Cullinane.

Have you been affected by intrusive affordability checks? If so, we would like to hear from you. Email us (editor@racingpost.com) with the subject 'Affordability checks' to share your experiences and contact details

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