The latest issues surrounding Altior, the favourite for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham Festival in March, pushed the British Horseracing Authority to say how important it is that local punters trust betting markets.
The news that Altior is to miss the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown in December, was announced a couple of days ago on the Twitter account of Nicky Henderson shortly after a statement published on Unibet’s website.
The announcement highlighted some issues about the relationship between between bookmakers and some jockeys and trainers, and provoked a wave of criticism on social networks along with the fact that Henderson failed to previously report any problems with Altior at the end of last week. According to accusations, anyone who was aware of the situation could take advantage of it and draw benefit of it, considering the fact that the horse would not participate in the Tingle Creek Chase that is scheduled for December 9th.
The fact that there seems to have been a delay in bringing some information to public regarding the Altior case could not be left unnoticed, especially considering the fact that the relationship between bookmakers and trainers is also involved. The fact that currently, Nicky Henderson is one of the top trainers and jockeys in the industry, and Altior is one of the frontrunners in the major races, comes to prove that nothing in this case was too minor of an issue to report.
Two Cases Raise Question about Certain Aspects of the Industry
This is the second time in a week when the relationship between bookmakers and trainers’ was scrutinised, after the recent case involving a bookmaker and a trainer emerged, too. The trainer David Evans was imposed a fine amounting to £3,140 for failing to report news of a non-runner while attempting to get a better price about a stablemate in the same race.
The disturbing aspects surrounding the Evans case raised a lot of questions concerning the relationship between trainers, jockeys and bookmakers in the UK. The rumours that Evans received price boosts on a regular basis when backing his own horses with the local gambling operator Ladbrokes.
As mentioned above, Evans was imposed a monetary fine for his actions, and commented that was a much more merciful outcome for him, especially considering the fact that he could have seen his license suspended.
The British Horseracing Authority revealed that it would not make a comment on the individual cases, but it was aware of the fact that there are important issues related to the public perception of such situations in the horseracing industry.
The Authority shared its opinion that it was important the the betting public trust in local betting markets, including ante-post markets. According to the BHA, customers should be able to place a bet, knowing that they get all information they need.
The regulatory authority for horse racing in the UK further revealed its intentions to meet with the country’s gambling regulator – the UK Gambling Commission – and to release a special programme of integrity education. These actions are to be initiated as part of the Authority’s integrity commitment to highlight how important it is for customers to be provided with fair and accurate information.
- Author
Daniel Williams
