Panorama

To borrow from Charles Dickens, the past week can be encapsulated in one line: it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  Actually, let's face it, when it comes to bad times it hasn't just been this week, has it? Events of this year in particular have made it harder to love racing as we rock from one unsavoury incident to the next courtesy of some of the sport's leading trainers in Europe and America. The image that can now just be described as 'that photo',...

Irish government officials appearing before the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food, and the Marine have denied knowledge of former racehorses being transported for slaughter from Ireland to the UK. A BBC Panorama programme entitled The Dark Side of Horseracing, which aired on Monday evening, contained footage from cameras installed covertly by pressure group Animal Aid at Drury & Sons abattoir in Swindon. The images showed horses being killed in distressing fashion, including a number of former racehorses.  Three of the horses were formerly trained in Ireland by Gordon Elliott, who...

Following the broadcasting of the BBC's programme Panorama: The Dark Side of Horse Racing on Monday evening, the British Horseracing Authority announced its support to investigate the images of horses being euthanized in situations which may have harmed their welfare. In addition, several leaders from the British racing industry including the BHA, as well as the Horse Welfare Board will be meeting to discuss further issues raised by the Panorama programme on Tuesday. The BHA will also be in contact with Horse Racing Ireland over the contents of the programme....