Sponsored Trainers

Greed and to lead people down the garden path!

Do you think it will lead to more none runners being announced later to maximise antepost non runner profits for bookmakers or is this just not part of the advantages of sponsored trainers? This could be a particularly relevant question if the owner of the non runner is a bookmaker.

Another question is are all trainers above stressing particular races as targets for their horses while perhaps aiming them at another to the cost of antepost punters. This can be viewed as a tactical attempt to get an easier race for their horse but are the lines not blurred by this being also to the financial advantage of bookmakers taking the non runner profits?

Horses that are extremely well backed and short priced favourites for the Festival. If a bookmaker stands to lose millions if a horse shortens from 33s antepost to 4/5 and they sponsor the trainer is this an ethical situation which could bring racing into disrepute if the horse has a setback late. Perhaps that will never be an issue as bookmaker liabilities are not published so the finger would never be pointed if skullduggery ever existed. There again this also means such situations will never be proveable, does that make it ok if it ever happens.

Another question is are all the deals in the relationship of an ethical nature? How can this be policied if the BHA are not involved in financial transactions between the two parties?