I respect Nicky Henderson's decision but the language he used was wrong

Saturday was a sad day to be a racing fan. Whether you attribute the deplorable field sizes at Ascot to problems with the horse population and fixture list, trainer habits and the heavy focus on the Cheltenham Festival, global warming's impact or a combination of all of the above, it was impossible not to feel deflated and defeatist.

Racegoers travelled to Ascot expecting to see three of the sport's biggest stars, and as heartwarming as the successes for Coole Cody and Goshen were, it only marginally eased the frustration and disappointment of not being able to see Edwardstone, L'Homme Presse and Constitution Hill.

When those trainers were asked why they decided not to run, the response should have been clear and accurate. However, while in the main the trainers were admirably open and frank, some of their comments have only deepened the sense of unease.

Speaking on Sky Sports Racing on Sunday, Nicky Henderson said Constitution Hill would have been "wounded" in his box for a year had he run, adding the decision would have been "stupid", "suicidal" and "in the interest of horse welfare we should have been banned for life if we had". On Friday he also said "these are serious horses having their first runs of the year and we have to make sure it's safe for them".

Jockey Nico de Boinville and trainer Nicky Henderson inspecting the ground before taking out Constitution Hill at Ascot on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Henderson knows far more about Constitution Hill's make-up and physiology than anyone else, so his expertise and knowledge should be respected.

The trainer has his eyes set on the Champion Hurdle in March so it is understandable he does not want to risk his stable star becoming jarred or stiff by running him on unsuitable ground. Neither would racing fans want to see Constitution Hill's potential blockbuster clash with Honeysuckle at Cheltenham put at risk.

However, clerks of the course are mandated to produce safe racing ground, and for Henderson to relay such an unequivocal view with emotive language not only questions the trust in clerks of the course to do their job, but suggests racing should not have gone ahead at all – for any horse, regardless of their ability or preferences.

In framing a decision not to run a horse on ground that was good, good to soft in places as a wider safety or welfare issue, and in using such dramatic language, Henderson does his sport a grave disservice and gives fuel to its detractors.

If he deserved to be "banned for life" had he run Constitution Hill, what does this say about the trainers who chose to run and the trust we place in them to do right by their horses? And what about the trust we place in the groundstaff to produce a safe racing surface?

If conditions at Ascot on Saturday were not widely considered suitable for jumps horses, then it should become the sport's utmost priority to review and assess it. Those conversations should happen professionally and through the correct channels, not via the medium of emotionally charged television broadcasts.

The media rely on the willingness of trainers to speak out to cover and promote the sport and Henderson deserves credit for being so accessible both before and after Constitution Hill's unfortunate defection. The updates he provided at each turn, from Tuesday morning at Newbury to Saturday itself, showed he was putting his horse first. However, the language he used on Sunday could have been used to undermine all of that and threaten the sport we love.

Poignant celebrations prove racing isn't just about one meeting

One of the ways racing can promote healthier attitudes towards racing year round is by celebrating success everywhere, not just when it happens at the Cheltenham Festival.

A winner outside of that one week in March can take the same amount of hard work, passion and belief and we should be trying to showcase that as much as possible.

It was clear to see from an emotional Gary Moore after Goshen won the Coral Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday and Dan and Harry Skelton were ecstatic following the awesome success of Protektorat in the Betfair Chase.

Moore was on the verge of tears at Ascot while Harry enthusiastically saluted the crowd crossing the line at Haydock and embraced his brother in the minutes afterwards, and this kind of emotional transparency is exactly what is needed to convey the winning feeling to the masses and sell our sport.

We have enough dark days in this challenging world of ours, we should not be afraid to make the most of the good days. The successes and reactions from the Moores and Skeltons were refreshing – let's see more of them.

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Nicky Henderson: 'There was no way I was going to run on that ground'

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