Six-time champion horse racing jumps trainer Nicky Henderson has stepped into the affordability checks row and has recently urged all horse racing fans to sign the ongoing petition against the bookmaker checks.
Nicky Henderson Urges ALL Racing Fans To Sign Petition
72 year-old Nicky Henderson, who trained 73 Cheltenham Festival winners during his long career, has entered the affordability checks debate on the Racing Post website and using their email database has sent a personal message to the sports followers.
Henderson goes onto say that some racing fans might not realise why they should be ‘hugely worried’ about these bookmaker affordability checks, but after delving deeper has given his insight as a top trainer.
The former champion trainer is making it clear he’s not a punter, but despite this the checks will have a wider impact on the sport and it’s this area that Henderson is now trying to highlight.
Having spoken to several of his owners who do like to have a bet, Henderson has relayed their thoughts on them being furious that his gambling white paper will make if harder for them to support the horses they own, pay for and want to see winning horse races.
The Henderson owners he spoke to were also making it clear they were not prepared to hand over any financial documents and the Seven Barrows trainer agrees with them.
“I’ve been urging people in Lambourn to sign the sports” Says Henderson
Henderson says “Why should any punter, big of small, be told whether or not they can afford to have a bet?”
While Henderson adds it’s also the people that love horse racing that don’t bet who should also sign the petition as it will impact the sport in general.
With bookmaker profits likely to be down if these checks come into place, then money filtering into horse racing in terms of sponsorship will also be affected. While this could even drive owners out of the game, which will then have a domino impact on the industry as a whole, including betting sites, shops, racing stables and the racetracks.
He added ” That’s why I’ve been urging people in Lambourn to sign the sports’ petition against affordability checks, and this is why I’m now using this email (Racing Post) to ask you to sign too. This is a massive issue, and we must all do all we can to make a difference and stamp on it before it stamps on us.”
At present the petition stands at 95,931 signatures and needs to hit 100k in order for the issue to be raised and discussed in Parliament.
You can sign the affordability checks petition here.
