Worth reading the RP stories on this, they are doing a cracking job reporting on it (and I don’t say that very readily)
My understanding of horses and I may be wrong, Ron might be able to put me straight is. All horses have their vacs on or near the beginning of January as stated in their passports as they are aged at January 1fst. Here’s a scenario. You go to the sales at say Cheltenham for the horses in training for admin purposes surely all horses sold must be with passport and up to date vacs, unless they are unknown which I would’ve thought was highly unethical and you would vaccinate.
Right just read a report from the bha on the 18 jan 2019 sent to all licensed trainers to advise to boost all horses in training. Here’s the question. Why did Nicky Henderson choose to ignore this advice?
I doubt they would all be done in January FP as they are born at different times of the year. There may be some who, aren't up to date with their jabs for whatever reason and have to start again, so could be any time of the year. A horse couldn't be entered in the sales if the jabs aren't up to date
I’m sure I read a few winters back, that Nichols’ generally had fewer runners in the first month or two of the year because, unlike most trainers, he chose to vaccinate most of his charges in January?
Advisory is very different isn’t it? Why would you do it if you didn’t think it was needed and you’d had positive results doing things your way in the past? As many know, I’m no fan of hendo, but in this one he’s been cheated out of running in big races because the BHA are making it up as they go.
I’m sorry but I don’t think that is fair, if you have an MOT and get an advisory, it doesn’t mean that you can’t drive the car, and it’s up to you to manage that. They manage it in the way they see fit. why would you take a horse out of prep training for injections that aren’t required? Nicholls does it and often has an awful January because of it, many others don’t and now are paying the price for a rule change that they didn’t get enough warning about
There’s no doubt the man gets results but the ethics of his whole operation stink.theres a load of skeletons lurking in his closet but for some reason know one seems to want to challenge him.
Challenge him all you like (as I do) but this case is one that I don’t think you can seriously blame on him.
When you have an mot with an advisory if you don’t do the work by the next mot you fail. On the question of why would you take a horse out of prep training? Welfare!
I don’t agree with it being a welfare point at all, it’s bureaucracy and poor management of racing by the BHA who are covering their arses at all costs
It was they that advised on the 19 January so that’s a bit unfair. I’d agree on poor management by trainers who should be scrutinised when their license comes up for renewal.
An advisory is very different to mandatory. Put it this way then, why didn’t they make it mandatory then? Less than a month ago?
