Prize-money row nothing new after Worcester walkover in 2012
As the row over prize-money in British racing reaches boiling point with two races to be boycotted at Lingfield on Saturday, thoughts are revived of a similar situation at Worcester on July 11, 2012.
A dozen runners were declared for the final race of the day, a class 4 novice hurdle, but there were 11 non-runners with ten being due to a trainer boycott because of low prize-money.
The other non-runner, Cabimas, missed the race after running at Uttoxeter the previous day, leaving the Nigel Twiston-Davies’s Moulin De La Croix to earn victory via walkover, allowing Sam Twiston-Davies to salute the crowd as he passed the post.
Twiston-Davies snr collected the full £3,000 prize fund, but agreed to distribute the money between the other trainers, who included Nicky Henderson, David Pipe, Philip Hobbs, Venetia Williams, Alan King and Charlie Mann.
Watch the replay of the Worcester walkover here
The £3,000 on offer was £900 below the level set out in the Horsemen’s Group tariff, and Philip Hobbs told the BBC at the time: "Arena have recently had an enormous rise in their media rights income but prize-money continues to fall. They can definitely do better.
"I'm a little uncomfortable and would rather not go to these lengths, but we needed to do something."
The row was eventually resolved after the BHA met the Horsemen and agreed to increase prize-money to a level which represented an increase of 12 per cent against the tariff.
Get exclusive insight from the track and live tipping with Raceday Live – our up-to-the-minute service on racingpost.com and the Racing Post mobile app
Published on 21 February 2019inNews
Last updated 18:46, 21 February 2019
- Merci Olivier! No final winner for Olivier Peslier but the world of racing unites in saluting the end of a great career
- The latest edition of the Racing Post is available to read online now - here's how you can access it
- How Smart View recorded a 76 per cent profit at the Cheltenham Festival
- Smart View is available on the Racing Post app - how to read the revolutionary new racecard
- Levy reform talks 'accelerating' as clock ticks down to April deadline for agreement
- Merci Olivier! No final winner for Olivier Peslier but the world of racing unites in saluting the end of a great career
- The latest edition of the Racing Post is available to read online now - here's how you can access it
- How Smart View recorded a 76 per cent profit at the Cheltenham Festival
- Smart View is available on the Racing Post app - how to read the revolutionary new racecard
- Levy reform talks 'accelerating' as clock ticks down to April deadline for agreement