Course owner wants to race in infected areas

Sir Stanley Clarke yesterday criticised the British Horseracing Board's decision not to allow meetings in areas infected by foot-and-mouth disease. He believes racing is "being singled out unfavourably" and losing money as a result.

Clarke runs several British courses, including Chepstow, Hereford, Newcastle and Uttoxeter which have each remained closed since the outbreak started.

He told the Times: "The BHB must revisit this issue, there is no doubt about it.

"There are serious financial implications and racing is still being singled out unfavourably.

"You can look at several courses which have houses and supermarkets next door where life goes on as usual and golf courses in the middle where people still play.

"They can stage fairs and exhibitions unquestioned but racing cannot take place there.

"I can't see the logic in this. Uttoxeter has Alton Towers five miles up the road still open for business and thriving yet we are told we cannot race because we are in an infected area.

"Last week we lost our biggest day of the year, the Midlands National, and I would estimate that it cost the Uttoxeter area around £2 million."

Clarke believes racing poses no more threat of spreading the disease than any other activity.

He said: "If it is deemed acceptable for thousands of people to go to a location such as Alton Towers or a football match that falls in an infected area the only question is whether horses carry the virus more than humans and we are told that is not so."