Trainer hits out at ARC amid threat
TRAINER Stuart Williams has criticised the actions of Arena Racing Company as a three-day boycott of tracks owned by the firm remains a possibility next week.
Ralph Beckett, who is due to take over the reins as chairman of the National Trainers Federation next year, called on his colleagues not to enter for fixtures at ARC-owned Fontwell and Lingfield next Wednesday, Southwell on Thursday and Lingfield and Newcastle on Friday.
While Fontwell attracted 82 entries, four races at Lingfield on Wednesday were reopened, with two races getting just three entries each.
ARC cut back on its prize-money contributions as the operator prepares for an expected shortfall in the levy because of betting shop closures following the Government’s decision to lower the maximum FOBT stake from £100 to £2.
In a temporary move, ARC announced yesterday it was reallocating prize-money to increase funds in the lower-grade races, but that move has not appeased everyone in the training fraternity.
“My owners are of the same view as me – it’s wrong of ARC to have withdrawn its contribution which would have triggered the extra money,” said Williams.
“And to then say it will cream the money off the top of somewhere else to make up for it isn’t helping the situation at all, it’s taking the value down in other parts.
“It seems a bizarre decision to do what they are doing before they’ve had the hit from the FOBTs. We all know that is coming, but to do it before just seems odd to me.
“We’re competing for almost the same money some days as we were 30 years ago which, when you consider how much the cost of owning and training has risen, is scandalous.
“It is hard for the small trainers, but the big trainers are taking a stand for the smaller trainers. The boycott is being driven by quite a few of the big trainers who wouldn’t have runners in the races that are being boycotted.
“I’ve no idea what will happen, we’re just treating races on an individual basis. If the prize-money is not there, then we’re not going to run.”
Conversely, jumps trainer Jo Davis she feels she is not in a position to support the action, with the right conditions and suitable races available at Fontwell for two of her inmates.
Davis informed her owners of the proposed boycott and all but one had no intention of not running and said they owned horses to race them.
“Now don’t get me wrong, I would love higher prize-money, but when you are at the bottom end of the sport and training low grade horses, you know that it is rubbish,” wrote Davis on www.jodavisracing.com.