Trainers and racecourses go to war - and it won't be easy to find a solution without damaging the sport

At times it seems as if very little in British racing is straightforward and events over the last week have served only to reinforce that impression.

The first example came when it was announced that Britbet, the partnership of 55 British tracks which provides pool betting on those courses, had extended its long-term deal with the UK Tote Group. Under that agreement, money bet on course through Tote-branded Britbet outlets goes into the broader pools hosted by the Tote.

However, there was a caveat to the announcement in that Arena Racing Company's (Arc) 16 courses are not part of the agreement, although talks were said to be ongoing.