Talking Horses: Newbury faces ‘boycott’ while heat hits meetings

Newbury racecourse expects at least 20,000 racegoers to attend its Weatherbys Super Sprint card on Saturday, despite an apparent boycott of the final contest by trainers and owners, which has seen the schedule reduced to just six races.

Thirteen horses from 10 stables were entered for the Stonegate Homes Fillies’ Novice Stakes, for three-year-olds and up over 10 furlongs and with a £3,510 first prize, earlier in the week but none were declared to run on Thursday morning. While there has been no formal confirmation that the contest fell victim to an organised boycott, the Racing Post has suggested the move was orchestrated by “a prominent Newmarket handler” to protest at what was seen as a disappointing prize fund of £6,500.

The attendance for Super Sprint day is normally Newbury’s biggest of the year, outstripping both the Group One Lockinge Stakes card in May and the Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase (previously known as the Hennessy Gold Cup) in November. The fans arrive both for the racing and a live concert after the card is complete, with Craig David booked to perform this year.

“We emailed all our customers yesterday as the impact [of losing the seventh race] meant that we had to bring the concert forward by half an hour,” Harriet Collins, Newbury’s marketing and sponsorship director, said on Friday. “We’re pleased that we’ve not had anyone emailing back [to complain]. There is still around £400,000 in prize money on offer and as with any of our concert days, anyone who leaves after the last and before the concert starts will get a £15 discount voucher for a future race meeting.”

Racegoers will need to bring their sunblock on Saturday, when temperatures are expected to peak at around 28C in late afternoon, but the