Two thousand days and counting - BHA's failure to act in George Gently syndicate case a damning indictment

British racing passed a most unwanted and unnecessary milestone at the weekend. Indeed, this milestone has become a millstone for the BHA in particular and grows heavier with each passing day.

Saturday marked 2,000 days since a complaint was lodged with the BHA by the owners of a horse named George Gently. The owners alleged that trainer Dan Skelton had secretly benefited from the sale of the horse to them as he held an undisclosed one-third share.

This was pertinent, the owners alleged, because Skelton had trained the horse when he was second on his debut at Enghien racecourse near Paris and his input was important in persuading them to part with £130,000 to buy him privately to remain in the yard, subject to a satisfactory pre-purchase veterinary examination. Skelton has firmly denied owning a one-third share of the horse.