Henrietta Knight adds support to calls for National Racehorse Day

Henrietta Knight has joined calls for the sport to introduce a National Racehorse Day in order to shine a light on what goes on behind the scenes.

The legendary trainer of three-time Gold Cup winner Best Mate was speaking this week at West Lockinge Farm, where she currently has 30 horses being put through their paces at what Knight has turned into an equine jumping academy.

Knight wholeheartedly endorsed the concept first put forward by trainer Richard Phillips in a Racing Post column on October 28.

"I think the idea of a National Racehorse Day is a good idea," she said. "Perhaps you could show people at closer quarters how well horses are treated. I know they have the open days in the training centres but visitors are not actually being educated.

"Educational days, like a National Racehorse Day, might educate the public a bit better. I think it would be a good idea to stage events at racecourses on non-race days, where you could take people into the stable area and have some horses in for the day. You could show what happens behind the scenes and explain what happens when horses come to the racecourse. I think it would be a very good idea to show how well a racehorse is looked after."

Without addressing the public perception of racing, Knight admitted she fears for the future of the sport.

"The welfare issue and the pressure from animal rights people is the biggest worry," she said. "It's frightening how much is put on social media now – you can hardly breathe. Everything is in your face all the time.

"Animal rights is not just in racing, it's in all aspects of equine sports – it's in the spotlight the whole time. They've virtually stopped jumps racing in Australia."

Read more from Henrietta Knight in Sunday's Big Read, available to members from 6pm on Saturday