Tariff dispute forces race cancellation

The ladbrokes.com South Croxton Handicap, due to take place at Leicester on Friday, has been abandoned due to no runners being declared at the 48-hour stage.

The 0-85 mile-and-a-half handicap had seven original entries but none of the trainers took up the option to run in the Class Four event.

It was only just over two weeks ago that Leicester staged a walkover due to the ongoing row over prizemoney between the Horseman's Group and racecourses.

On that occasion Harry Dunlop's Saint Helena had to canter down to the furlong pole and back to pick up the £6,000 (€6,772) on offer.

As a result of the abandonment, the opening ladbrokes.com Walcote Maiden Stakes has been divided to ensure a six-race card.

Leicester's clerk of the course Jimmy Stevenson was perplexed by the abandonment.

"I can only assume it's down to the tariff again," he said.

"I have nothing to do with prize money levels so I can't really comment on it.

"It's faster ground for this time of year but funnily enough we've got more runners than Doncaster on the same day so we've got no issue with the ground here."

According to the tariff set out by the Horseman's Group, a Class Four handicap on a Friday should not be run for less than £7,000 (€7,900) and only £5,000 (€5,643) was up for grabs.

William Jarvis had entered Bouggatti to run but feels it is time to make stand.

"I'm not running purely because the race falls some way below tariff," said Jarvis.

"I like Leicester as a racecourse, the facilities are good, they've made a big effort on the stable lads accommodation but they've got to wise up.

"It's nothing against Leicester, it is against the tariff. Other racecourses have raised their game and so should Leicester. This is the second time it's happened this year. They've had one walkover and now a void race."

Marcus Tregoning had Lady Rosamunde entered and while Tregoning is supportive of the tariffs, she will instead run later on the card in a race that also falls below the stated level.

"I appreciate the difficulties racecourses are facing but we have too much dross racing," said Tregoning.

"There is too much being wasted at the bottom end of the scale and we have to try to improve prize money where it matters.

"She's running later on the card below tariff, but we have to make a stand somewhere."

John Ryan's situation for Ocean's Dream Day is slightly different as while he agrees with the tariff, his horse is ineligible as Ryan issued him with a self-certificate at Yarmouth on Monday.

"My horse couldn't run as I gave him a self-cert on Monday," said Ryan.

"The difference between a self-cert and a vet's-cert is that when you issue a self-cert they are barred from running for six days.

"I wasn't happy about the tariff but the decision had already been taken for me this time."