Moulin De La Croix was the benefactor of a walkover at Worcester as trainers registered their dissatisfaction with prizemoney by boycotting a novices’ hurdle.
Twelve horses were declared for the event but as the race fell below the level set out in the Horsemen’s Group tariff by STG900 ($A1,379), 11 horses were withdrawn earlier in the day.
The movement was organised by trainer Charlie Mann and had the backing of the likes of Nicky Henderson, David Pipe and Donald McCain.
The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Moulin De La Croix took to the racecourse alone and only had to canter the final furlong to collect the full prize fund of STG3000.
The trainers decided to let one horse run rather than withdrawing all 12 so the prizemoney could be collected and distributed between the trainers who were all fined STG140.
“The tariffs have been set and it’s unacceptable that we’re racing for the prizemoney that we are,” Mann told AtThe Races.
“Racecourses’ turnover was up last year and this year and bookmakers are making profits.
“We’re providing a product for these companies and we’re not getting any return, which is wrong.
“They have to understand that without us, owners and trainers, they can’t perform.”
Champion jockey Tony McCoy was never due to ride in the race, but he gave his full backing to the boycott.
“Owners aren’t in this business to make money, but you have to give them some incentive to have a horse,” he said.
“Arena Leisure said this morning that they were putting virtually all of their income back into prizemoney.
“Well if that’s the case, I can’t understand why a multi-million pound empire like the Reuben brothers (owners of Arena and Northern racing) would want to buy into a business that’s barely wiping its face.
“The PJA (Professional Jockeys’ Association) definitely support what the trainer’s are doing.
David Roberts, managing director of Arena Leisure in the Midlands, was also in attendance at Worcester.
He admitted the prizemoney issue needed to be addressed but felt trainers had gone the wrong way about it by boycotting a race.
