Tension rises again as Arc claims to have evidence of trainers acting illegally

Hostility between racing professionals and Arena Racing Company heightened again on Friday when the under-fire racecourse group edged closer to taking legal action with the claim it has evidence some trainers are placing illegal pressure on colleagues and jockeys to boycott races.

The escalation in the war of words came after a low-grade Sedgefield contest on Sunday was targeted by owners and trainers, whose largely united approach has been slammed as ridiculous by one of their own number.

The £3,500 Watch Sky Sports Racing in HD Handicap Hurdle will be staged as a walkover following the latest guerrilla action taken by horsemen incensed by the Martin Cruddace-led Arc's implementation of £3 million in executive prize-money contribution cuts.

A handicap hurdle at Sedgefield on Sunday has been turned into a walkover due to a boycottCredit: John Grossick

While Horsemen's Group chairman Philip Freedman on Thursday issued a call for unity and a warning against unilateral action, there has been little sign of his advice being heeded.

That became ever more obvious when an Arc spokesman on Friday said: "We have evidence of illegal pressure put on jockeys and trainers who have entered our races, from other trainers, to not take part. This obviously represents a serious escalation and we cannot rule out legal action."

Arc has not expanded on its allegations, while the Professional Jockeys Association has stated any of its members who refuse to take rides are acting as individuals, not on behalf of the organisation.

A call to arms was issued by Stevie Donohoe, who tweeted: "Fully support the trainers and owners this coming week. I will not be taking any rides at the selected meetings and urge my colleagues to follow suit #seethebigpicture"

That plea was retweeted by, among others, Oisin Murphy and Jamie Spencer.

A test of the wider jockeys' view may come next week, when races at Lingfield and Southwell have been targeted by those dissatisfied by Arc's move to unlock £364,000 in levy funding through the reallocation of prize-money downwards from higher-quality contests.

A Wednesday novice event at Lingfield – which had a race reduced to a walkover last week – now has only two possible runners after half the initial four entries were scratched. One of the remaining nominees is trained by Paul George, who along with Sheena West has two of only three entries in another race on the card.

Greybychoice: had a walkover win at LingfieldCredit: Mark Cranham

"I think the boycott is a bit ridiculous," said George. "I don’t think people throwing their toys out of the pram and striking is the right option. All the boycott achieved at Lingfield last Saturday was ruining the day for those who paid to watch seven races and only got five.

"I understand prize-money isn't good, but we need to do something constructive about it. Racing needs to become self-reliant and if the prize-money reflects the level the sport is at right now, then we need to accept it, rally round and find long-term solutions ourselves."

George added: "This is an entertainment business and the discussion should be about selling racing to the public, not boycotting meetings as a short-term fix. A lot of these bigger trainers could possibly do without running horses over the winter, but these meetings are important for me and my owners.

"When I was showjumping, I used to sponsor local meetings to help the wider sport. It’s just an idea, but perhaps some of the bigger trainers and owners could sponsor races. It gets your name out there and maybe Arc could be persuaded to match their investment."

Donald McCain: 'The way owners are being treated is appalling'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Boycott backer Donald McCain will win what is now Sedgefield's Sunday finale given he owns and trains Wazowski, who will be ridden by Brian Hughes as the only runner.

McCain said: "Neither Brian nor I will be taking any earnings from the race. All the money we get is going straight to Jack Berry House.

"This wasn't long planned but it has been talked about for a few days. In some ways I felt in a tricky position as I wasn't able to run horses for such a long time, but at the same time I stand up and agree with what everybody is saying and doing. I own the horse, so it was suggested we were the ones who ran – and we're happy to be doing it.

"The way owners are being treated is appalling. Next week's selling hurdle at Catterick, where things often aren't great, has nearly double the prize-money of this Sedgefield race. Arc aren't alone in being guilty but they're the worst culprits and everybody has thought that for a long time. They're stretching the industry but they aren't prepared to support us."

Mark Johnston: 'I have never known trainers so angered over prize-money'Credit: Dan Abraham

Mark Johnston was one of those who attended Thursday's National Trainers Federation meeting that dismissed Arc's compromise position.

"I have never known trainers so angered over prize-money," Johnston wrote on his website, criticising both Arc and independent track Pontefract, whose managing director Norman Gundill this week revealed the track's purses will fall by 11 per cent.

"Not a clever move," wrote Johnston, adding of Gundill: "What's more, in an attempt to stress that the reduction is ‘provisional’, he said, 'If the projected reduction in media rights income does not materialise, we expect to reinstate some, but not all, of the reductions.'

"Eh? So he is admitting that it isn’t really about FOBTs at all. They have just seen an opportunity to pay less and thought they would take it. I’d think again, Norman."

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