Sir Mark Prescott: please help us send a powerful message to the government

Arc-winning trainer Sir Mark Prescott is calling on everyone with an interest in British racing to sign the petition against affordability checks, which is closing in on 90,000 signatures. Once it reaches 100,000 signatures, the petition will be considered for debate in parliament.

Our civil liberties are being attacked constantly – most importantly, freedom of speech and the presumption of innocence.

The government is currently consulting on a new policy that would result in the limiting of our freedom to have a bet through the introduction of formalised affordability checks. It threatens not only our personal freedom but also British horseracing's finances.

Betting is an integral part of the sport. For some owners, taking on the bookmakers is inextricably linked to why they own horses. For countless other people, their love of racing is inseparable from the pleasure punting brings them.

I can see no good reason why the state should be allowed to take that pleasure away from any of us. I also believe affordability checks may well have the disastrous effect of triggering a surge in illegal betting. That really would place the vulnerable people in danger – and these are the very people whom the government purport to wish to protect.

For all these reasons, I support British racing's petition, calling on the government to halt the introduction of affordability checks.

If you have already signed that petition, thank you.

If you have not, please do so and join those of us who are attempting to send a powerful message to the government to stop meddling in that which they don’t understand.

Punters and the racing industry are being called on to sign a petition calling on the government to stop the implementation of affordability checks. You can sign the petition here.

Read these next:

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BHA welcomes government response to British racing's petition against affordability checks 

'Checks could kill the sport' - racegoers react as Cheltenham pushes petition drive 

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