Starters’ orders for Brexit

BRITISH racing and its major festivals face chaos if no provision is put in place to allow the free movement of horses after Brexit, according to industry bosses.

The warning ahead of this week’s prestigious Cheltenham Festival, comes amid wrangling over racing’s future after Britain leaves the EU.

The heads of the British, Irish and French racing industry bodies will meet informally at next week’s festival.

They will consider proposals to continue to allow racehorses to cross borders to travel to race meetings, for breeding purposes and for sale after the UK leaves the EU. Any proposals would need to be approved by the European Commission.

Mairead McGuinness, the Irish vice-president of the European Parliament, said: ‘Horse racing depends on the best horses moving freely across Ireland, the UK and France. It would be a disaster if the best horses couldn’t even make it to the first hurdle.”