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Against my better judgement, and through the fear of a slow day at work, I bought a copy of the Racing Post this morning. Amongst the usual drivel and mediocre journalism I spotted an article pertaining to the recent abandonment debacle at Warwick.
The article was centred on owner Eric Gadsden, who contests that he should receive compensation in relation to the travel expenses he incurred that day and is pushing for the racecourse to ‘share the day’s prize money amongst the owners’. Whilst I can understand how owners and trainers might feel following such a series of shambolic decisions, is requesting a share of the prize money taking things just a little too far?
Reimbursement of the day’s expenses is one thing (though when I had a guitar exam cancelled when I was younger, I didn’t get my train fare or exam fee back – then again I didn’t cry about it…maybe I should have done) but to expect the racecourse to make such a ‘gesture’ based on the notion that Gadsden’s horse had a ‘favourite’s chance’ is laughable in my opinion.
Next time I have an accountancy exam and arrive to find that it has been postponed due to an invigilator with man flu, I shall follow Mr. Gadsden’s example and demand full marks just because I think I deserve them.
Not really a fair comparison, LGR.
Imagine you arrived for your exam to find the building on fire, but the invigilators were outside saying "Don’t worry, the exams will definitely be on", and then – five minutes before the roof of the building caved in, they told you "Actually, there won’t be any exams taking place after all. It seems that the fire wasn’t just a fire, but it transpired that it was jolly hot as well, and burnt all the examination papers".
Warwick are negligent, and if they’re not prepared to make a feduciary gesture to those who spent money travelling to a meeting that patently was never going to take place, then they should start jottering the incompetent yahoos that couldn’t see the fire in the first place (metaphorically speaking, of course).
It was a somewhat skewed comparison, Grassy, but I was just trying to illustrate a point (somewhat unsuccessfully it would seem…you have to ruin everything, don’t you).
The reimbursement of travelling expenses, as I said before, is one thing, but should the course seriously be expected to share out the day’s prize money on the basis that one particular owner thought their horse had some sort of chance? To use your fire analogy, I wouldn’t expect to be able to claim the grade of which I felt I was deserving of simply because, despite 40ft flames and the presence of 6 of Warwickshire’s finest fire engines, the examining body maintained the exam would go ahead as planned.
Warwick’s management were hopelessly ignorant of those travelling to the course from any appreciable distance, but incurred expenses can be all they can be reasonably expected to repay.
I’m still waiting to hear anything from Warwick. They didn’t even write to owners with runners that day to apologise. I contacted the ROA as one of its council memebers also had a runner but I haven’t heard how he got on either.
I’m caught between anger at Warwick and a wish to boycott the place in future and an acknowledgement that it is our local course (so most convenient for syndicate members to attend) and also a very happy hunting ground for our trainer.
In true British fashion I shall probably end up putting up with the whole thing.
If the sponsors don’t get the full benefit of the race then neither should the owners.
I wish I’d written to the RP when our filly was loaded into the stalls 3 times for her debut as a 2yo and had the blindfold on for 10 mins before being slowly away. Maybe I’d have had a refund for the days expenses.
Do you remember when Taj was due to run at Wolverhampton last year and the horses got as far as filing out onto the track before the day was abandoned? Ugh, how frustrating that was!
I believe that the BHA have found the Warwick racecourse executive negligent and fined them the vast sum of £2500.
All very good this concern for owners and sponsors.
What compensation was offered to paying racegoers for their wasted time, travelling time and expenses?Just returned home to a letter from Warwick racecourse. They are making an ex gratia payment to all owners who had runners of up to £180 depending on how far away from Warwick the horses had to travel. They are also offering two free badges for any Warwick meeting this year.
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