Henderson escapes any BHA action
Rule (C) 64 of the Rules of Racing states that ‘A trainer must not lay with a Betting Organisation any horse under his care or control to lose a race... instruct another Person to do so, or... receive the whole or any part of any proceeds of such a lay.’
Explaining the decision not to punish the trainer, Paul Struthers, Head of Communications for the Authority, said: “Whilst no one has suggested that Nicky Henderson would have wanted to train no winners at the Cheltenham Festival, it is the Authority’s view that, if the bet was placed, it was ill-judged and inappropriate.
“Having sought advice, the decision has been taken not to pursue the matter because there was not any separate lay of each runner.”
* FRANKEL, Henry Cecil’s unbeaten colt, features among the initial entries for the £150,000 totesport Dante Stakes at York on May 12.
The Galileo colt rounded off a superb juvenile campaign with victory in the Dewhurst Stakes and his first major objective for this year is the Qipco 2000 Guineas back at Newmarket.
Connections have indicated, however, that the three-year-old could also make up into a Derby prospect, hence the reason he has been given an entry in this recognised Epsom trial, which Cecil has won on seven occasions.
Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, said: “We have entered Frankel in the totesport Dante, it being the best Derby trial.
“But how far he might stay has yet to be determined – Henry has said that the horse will tell us”.
