World Horse Welfare tells racing: 'We are not the enemy'

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It's always a good idea to know who your friends are, especially when you may be called upon to justify your actions at any moment. World Horse Welfare would like racing folk to understand that it sees itself as a friend to the sport and in that respect distinct from other animal charities. It is currently making efforts to strengthen its relationship with the sport's insiders.

"We are the only equine welfare charity globally, that I'm aware of, that actively supports the responsible involvement of horses in sport," said WHW chief executive Roly Owers, speaking to the Front Runner last week. "Obviously, that word 'responsible' is really important in that statement. But yes, we are the only organisation that takes that position."

The charity could be described as a critical friend of racing, backing it up for the efforts made to promote horse welfare but also letting it know when more is needed in order to keep in step with standards of care expected by the wider world. It is the kind of relationship that could, in times to come, be of enormous importance in maintaining public support for racing.

"We live in a world where society is changing," Owers continues. "Our understanding of what constitutes good equine welfare is changing and it's a world where good news and bad news stories can spread around the world within seconds. I think there is a great pressure on ensuring we can maintain public acceptance of horse sport, going forward.

"Over the years, we've absolutely believed that being a constructive partner is the way we can achieve most for the horse. So clearly we don't agree with everything in racing, we're an independent voice. And I think there is great benefit to racing in having an independent voice, providing guidance and comment."

Would that distinguish WHW from, say, the RSPCA?

"Obviously, the RSPCA actively engages with racing. They share a lot of the same aims in terms of improving equine health and safety. But they wouldn't go as far as us, to say we actually think it is right and proper to involve horses in racing and sport, so long as their welfare and safety is given central priority."

Owers and his team find they are making some headway.

"People know about WHW but they don't necessarily know about our active engagement in horse racing and how long that's been going on.

"Generally, we get a very warm reception. Recently, we've spoken to Joe Saumarez Smith at the BHA, we've spoken to the Jockey Club, we've spoken to some leading trainers. Once they understand what our engagement is, the response is generally very, very positive.

WHW has spoken to BHA chair Joe Saumarez SmithCredit: Edward Whitaker

"We absolutely believe there is a positive engagement between the work of WHW and the future of horse racing. I think there really is a symbiotic relationship there."

On the subject of how the sport is matching up to its responsibilities, Owers offers encouragement but also urges the sport not to settle in one place, to be willing to keep moving forward.

"There is a lot to shout about in terms of what's going well, such as the initiation of the Horse Welfare Board, the 26 projects they have undertaken, I think they've got 20 that are active at the moment. That is world-leading and something to be proud of.

"I think there is a view in racing that we've made so much change and that's enough. I would just caution everyone that actually the world moves on, society's views move on, our understanding of equine welfare moves on. So we need to be trying to keep ahead of the curve and not be on the back foot."

Change is a challenge, of course, particularly to those who relished the way things were done before. Owers acknowledges that it will sometimes lead to criticism.

"What matters is the long term and the long-term health of racing, the long-term success and engagement of the horse/human partnership. As with any journey, there are gonna be some rocky days, for sure. But that doesn't mean the direction of travel isn't the right one."

On the whip, WHW argued last year that it should no longer be used for encouragement. An interesting article on its site says: "The purpose of its use is coercive and this undermines the concept of partnership between horse and human which is the foundation of ethical horse sport." 

Owers says: "It is for racing to be able to articulate very clearly why the whip is needed for racing." He asks us not to reduce the subject to the bare question of whether or not the whip hurts a horse.

WHW's list of senior figures includes some people who are very well known in racing, including Princess Anne, its president. There is also Sam Bullard, director of Darley Stallions for Godolphin and a 40-year veteran of the racing industry, having worked as assistant trainer to Gavin Pritchard-Gordon in the 1980s. He is also a trustee of WHW and it is with that hat on that he tells the Front Runner: "I need racing to understand that we're not the enemy, we are absolutely there to try and help.

"I think the key is every trustee on our board believes in horses being used in sport, but not abused. That's why I joined. We love eventing, we love dressage, we love racing. We're not into stopping things."

Monday's picks

It was interesting to see Kadex (3.50) take such a step forward when stepped up to three miles at Doncaster last time, running a much better race than his previous three since joining Lucy Wadham from France. He hung to the left, and not for the first time, but still produced a remarkable jump at the last and stayed on strongly on the run-in, suggesting he is going to be a strong stayer at this trip.

Wadham tries the 10lb claimer Eddie Edge on him at Wetherby today and the weight will obviously be valuable. We have to take it on trust that Edge can handle that tendency to hang left but odds of 6-1 are good about a youngster with more to give.

In the long-distance handicap chase that precedes Kadex's race, Gwencily Berbas and Innisfree Lad will have plenty of support, as the last-time-out winners in the field. But both those wins were within the last ten days and I tend to assume that staying chasers thrive on longer gaps than that, especially once they're aged in double figures. On the other hand, Innisfree Lad comes from a very hot yard and gets to run without a penalty.

Still, Geryville (3.15) gets the vote at 3-1, having shown improved form after a wind operation in the autumn. He's bumped into a talented young rival from a prominent yard in each of his last two starts but this looks like the opportunity he's been waiting for.

'He is guaranteed to relish the trip' - our Monday man shares four selections 

Three things to look out for today . . .

1.  It's that time of year when there is most danger of getting carried away with a horse's ability, when you can persuade yourself that your festival fancies are all unbeatable champs in the making. For a handy corrective, consider the case of Dickie Diver, who makes his hunter chase debut at Southwell. Four short years ago, he was among the leading novice hurdlers in Britain and had plenty of backers ahead of the Albert Bartlett. He was only fourth but in hindsight the quality of that form was amazing; all three who beat him have since won festival races, as did the fifth. Those horses were Minella Indo, Commander Of Fleet, Allaho and Lisnagar Oscar, so I guess the lesson is that you can run a mighty race and still fail to reward anyone who's taken standard each-way terms. Alas, Dickie Diver has failed to win in a handful of runs since then and was last seen being pulled up at Horseheath point-to-point. His official rating of 130 would entitle him to get involved today but it would be a surprise, now, if he were able to run to that level.

2.  Starting out over fences in March is not the orthodox way to do it but presumably that's just the way things have worked out for Hamundarson, a Gordon Elliott runner in the Gigginstown colours. He finished just behind Lifetime Ambition in a bumper three years ago but his career has stalled while that one has become a Grand National contender. He was third to Blue Lord in a maiden hurdle later that year. When he eventually won over hurdles, it was at the expense of Minella Cocooner, a Grade 1 winner three months later. Hamundarson hasn't been seen since the end of 2021, when well beaten in a handicap hurdle. He should be more suited to fences, as a son of Stowaway out of a Flemensfirth mare, and hopefully today's race at Leopardstown is a springboard for him.

3.  The trainer to follow on tonight's card at Wolverhampton looks like being David O'Meara, who has three winners from seven runners so far this month. His strike-rate for the year to date is 19 per cent and he is clearly travelling rather more strongly than the same stage a year ago, when he was winless from not many runners in February and March. He has two with chances tonight, starting with South Dakota Sioux, who gets cheekpieces after going close at Southwell and Chelmsford in his last two starts. Then there's Iconicdaay dropping back into classified company with Jason Watson taking over from a 5lb claimer in the saddle.

Read these next:

Julie Harrington: new whip rules are not pandering to people who will never love the sport  

Three more jump jockeys suspended under new whip rules 

Festival subscription offer | 50% off three months 

The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content.