Jumping on sand will not return
All-weather jumping, banished in March last year after a spate of equine fatalities, will not return, the British Horseracing Board has confirmed.
With punters starved of action by the freeze, calls have come for an increase in all-weather fixtures, including some under the National Hunt code.
Paul Greeves, the BHB's racing director, said: "The prospect of the return of all-weather jumping is nil. At one stage it produced four times the normal level of fatalities, which in turn was creating a high risk to jockeys. It would be tantamount to saying that money is more important than safety and welfare in racing."
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies