'We find no cause whatsoever for this' - owners fume at vets' decision to withdraw Nurburgring from Aintree Grade 1

The owners of Nurburgring have questioned the decision to withdraw their runner from the Boodles 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree on Thursday. 

However, the BHA has stood by the "unanimous verdict" of on-course vets, who concluded that the four-year-old was "lame and not suitable to race". 

In a statement released shortly after the Triumph Hurdle fourth was declared a non-runner, owner Bronsan Racing said: "In all equine pursuits, horse welfare and the consistency of horse welfare is paramount. Bronsan Racing were informed this morning that Nurburgring has been deemed unfit for racing at Aintree.

"Our trainer Joseph O'Brien and our team have conducted several additional assessments, and find no cause whatsoever for this decision. Our team has informed us that Nurburgring is fit to race today.

"The Aintree vets have reportedly stated that Nurburgring's 'action' today in comparison with his action before his fourth-place finish at Cheltenham is different. Bronsan Racing have been given no evidence of how this comparison was made and there is no appeal process or procedure in place that can be availed of."

The owners criticised the process carried out on course, and added: "There is no veterinary practice or guideline in place to video and record a horse trotting up during pre-race assessment, and resultantly, no consistent means of making any realistic impartial comparison of 'action'.

"Similar to the removal of our horse Givemethebeatboys at last year's Breeders' Cup, the only consistency we can see in pre-race assessment procedures, both in the US and the UK, is a lack of process.

"Bronsan Racing are as ever, sincerely grateful for the support and encouragement we continue to receive from the racing community. Most importantly we're pleased to return to Ireland with the same sound and healthy horse we travelled over with, and look forward to our upcoming entries on the Irish racing calendar."

The team from Bronsan Racing celebrate Nurburgring's victory at Fairyhouse in DecemberCredit: Patrick McCann

Trainers with a horse who might be described as a 'poor mover' or have an asymmetrical gait were requested to identify them to the BHA before the meeting to allow any abnormalities to be noted in conjunction with the trainer and his stable vet before examinations took place on raceday. 

A BHA spokesman said: "As part of the pre-race checks which are undergone by every horse running at the Grand National festival, Nurburgring was found to be lame by the team of independent BHA assessing vets.

"As is common practice, the horse was then given more time before further assessments took place. In total, Nurburgring was assessed on three separate occasions by teams of vets, including BHA and racecourse vets, and including two experts in the field of equine orthopaedics.

“The unanimous verdict of all vets on all three occasions was that the horse was lame and not suitable to race. The decision and the reasons why have been explained to both the owner and trainer."

On the comparison to Nurburgring's pre-race assessment at the Cheltenham Festival and the process of pre-race examinations, the spokesman added: "He had undertaken a similar check at Cheltenham a few weeks ago and no such issues were found prior to this run. 

"If Nurburgring had been of concern at the time of his Cheltenham run we would have taken and stored a video of his movement. However, his movement was of no concern at Cheltenham but was noticeably different today.

“Our sympathies are with everyone connected with the horse. We understand that it will be disappointing. But the welfare of the horse must come first. The trot-up process and facilities at Aintree have included investment from the racecourse in a specially designed trot-up strip that is both safe and fair for the horse."

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