How a new £150,000 chase shows up flaws in the latest plan for racing governance
It has become apparent in recent days that should Arena Racing Company chairman David Thorpe ever write his memoirs they will not be boring.
The Racing Post revealed last week that in a furious November 9 letter to his BHA counterpart Annamarie Phelps, Thorpe claimed British racing's leadership had been guilty of self-harm.
Within that letter, copied to all members of the BHA board and National Trainers Federation president Emma Lavelle, Thorpe berated the governing body and accused it of having been "a significant factor" in Arc's failure to gain approval for a deal that would have enabled it to stage nine-race cards during the all-weather winter season. In return, Arc forecast a £5 million boost to prize-money.
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