Talks to resolve VAT payments in time for Irish horses travelling to Cheltenham

Talks are taking place to try to ease the confusion around VAT payments for horses travelling to Britain from Ireland, with ambitions to have the issue addressed in time for the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Grangee, who finished third behind Eileendover in the Listed bumper at Market Rasen on Saturday, became the first horse to travel to Britain from Ireland since the UK left the European Union on January 1. Her trainer Willie Mullins revealed he had not been asked to pay VAT on the mare, easing his concerns about a potentially “colossal” fee for bringing horses across the Irish Sea to race at Cheltenham.

The payment, which is reclaimable within three months, in the Grangee case is believed to have been deferred until later in the year. In the meantime, discussions are ongoing within racing as to how those planning to travel to Britain can be helped with substantial VAT liabilities.