It doesn’t say anything it doesn’t mean anything and it won’t do anything

“It doesn’t say anything, it doesn’t mean anything and it won’t do anything. People like Carrie Humble beg to differ.Humble, who runs the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre in Cumbria, is a passionate, determined and forthright campaigner for the welfare of ex-racehorses.At present, she is on a three-week tour in Ireland, accompanied by Desert Orchid, to raise desperately-needed funds for her centre, which is the only registered charity in the country which looks after retired thoroughbreds, but as soon as she returns, battle will be joined.”I was incandescent with fury when I saw the report,” Humble says. The BHB claims that “the vast majority are well cared for and lead productive lives”. But if the Board believed that it could now retire gracefully from the argument, it had better think again.At least 2,000 horses leave training each year, and no-one has a clear idea of what happens to them. A monitoring system to be co-ordinated by the National Equine Welfare Council will alert the authorities to “the existence of any ill-treated horse which is suspected of being an ex-racehorse”.A report will then be filed with the NEWC, which will in turn inform the director general of the Racehorse Owners Association and the Jockey Club’s senior veterinary officer, who will “assess the horse, confirm whether it has a racing background and advise on the course of action: either rehabilitation or humane destruction”.Of course, by the time the red tape is out of the way, the unfortunate animal in question may well have saved them the trouble and keeled over all by itself. The Board, you may recall, felt obliged to do something – or rather, to appear to be doing something – for retired thoroughbreds following the ITV documentary They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?
This, as it happens, was one of the shoddiest pieces of television journalism ever produced, preferring to concentrate on cheap xenophobia – lingering close-ups of Belgians eating horsemeat – rather than the serious question of what can be done to stop former racehorses ending up as welfare cases.None the less, it succeeded where dozens of knowledgeable individuals and organisations had failed and persuaded the BHB that frantic hand-washing was not the most mature response to the problem.The end result, however, has left front-line campaigners teetering between frustration and rage.

Then again, perhaps that was the idea, because if the British Horseracing Board was not embarrassed about its inquiry into the welfare of ex-racehorses, it should have been. The press release was the culmination of an 18-month investigation into one of the racing industry’s most urgent problems but, what with Newmarket’s July meeting, the King George and Glorious Goodwood, it passed almost unnoticed. His next outing will be the weekend after next at Thirlestane Castle in Scotland, where the British and United States riders will be among those having their final trial for Burghley.There was one fatality yesterday when Capitano, the 11-year-old mount of Leslie Law, collapsed and died from a suspected heart attack.Results, Digest, page 19. “He was OK to the Barn Complex (fence 13) but then the course went downhill and he began to run away with me.”Tait is not, however, anticipating a repeat performance at Burghley, where he and Ready Teddy will be part of a formidable New Zealand team. His previous best was in 1984 when runner- up to Lucinda Green, who beat him by 0.7pt.Blyth Tait and Ready Teddy, New Zealand’s individual Olympic champions, had an adventurous round when finishing in fourth place “I started far too fast and rattled him a bit,” Tait said.

Hoy, who regards the grey as “a fabulous horse to ride across country”, will now be one of the favourites for next month’s European Open Championships at Burghley.Hoy was based at Gatcombe in the early 1980s and he moved back here a week ago, to take up residence in two rented cottages, before gaining his first British Open victory. But these conditions did nothing to dent the enthusiasm of Darien Powers, whose only problem came at the Avening Wall (the 18th of 30 fences) when he misjudged his take-off and banged a knee on the obstacle.This agile 12-year-old grey gelding had been lying fourth after the cross- country at Badminton this year, before being retired through lameness (it later transpired that he had a foot infection) at the following morning’s horse inspection. As the best Briton, King also won the national championship for the fourth time.
Mark Phillips’ course was, as always, a stern test of courage and stamina – and, with rain falling from mid-morning, the steep hills of Gatcombe Park became all the more tiring. Mary King, who was first and second here last year, rode three polished rounds to finish second, third and eighth on Star Appeal, King Solomon III and last year’s winner, King William. Andrew Hoy, the dual Olympic gold medallist from Australia, won yesterday’s British Open Championship after a bold and stylish cross-country round on Darien Powers at the British Horse Trials Championships.

Replacement: A Garvey (Natal) for du Randt, 61.n The New Zealand provincial side, Auckland, have bought a share in Blackheath, with the intention of using the club to develop between six and 12 of their young players who have English grandparents.. Replacements: T Coker (ACT) for Manu, 56; B Robinson (ACT) for Cockbain, 58; A Blades (NSW) for Heath, 71.SOUTH AFRICA: R Bennett (Border); A Snyman (Northern Transvaal), P Montgomery (Western Province), D van Schalkwyk (Northern Transvaal), P Rossouw (Western Province); J de Beer (Free State), J van der Westhuizen (Northern Transvaal); O du Randt (Free State), N Drotske (Free State), D Theron (Griqualand West), K Otto (Northern Transvaal), M Andrews (Natal), R Kruger (Northern Transvaal), A Venter (Free State), G Teichmann (capt, Natal). South Africa: Tries Du Randt, Andrews, De Beer; Conversion De Beer; Penalty De Beer.AUSTRALIA: S Larkham (ACT); B Tune (Queensland), J Little (Queensland), J Holbeck (ACT), J Roff (ACT); D Knox (ACT), G Gregan (ACT); R Harry (NSW), M Foley (Queensland), A Heath (NSW), O Finegan (ACT), J Eales (capt, Queensland), M Cockbain (NSW), D Wilson, D Manu (NSW). He has already pledged to return to South Africa this season, but his performance against some of his new team-mates on Saturday ensured he will retain his place in the Australian team for the forthcoming Tri- Nations Tests in New Zealand and South Africa.”I was just happy to be back. I’m part of a team and I’m happy if I’ve played all right and the back line has gone well,” he said.Australia scored four tries to three, with the man of the match, Ben Tune, crossing for two, in the 19th and 40th minutes.The No 8 Daniel Manu and the full-back Stephen Larkham collected Australia’s other touchdowns, while the prop Os du Randt, the stand-off Jannie De Beer and the lock Mark Andrews scored for the Springboks.Australia: Tries Larkham, Manu, Tune 2; Conversion Knox 3; Penalties Knox 2. Knox arrived just four days before the match, but slotted in easily and was one of Australia’s best players in their win.Knox’s initial disappointment at missing selection for the Australian team had been countered in part by how much he had enjoyed playing with Natal.