Further strike action threatened next week across three days of racing at ARC run courses just one week before Cheltenham Festival gets underway
Five meetings at Fontwell, Lingfield, Southwell and Newcastle are under threat, though ARC has responded by agreeing to reassign prize-money from better races
FURTHER strike action has been threatened by trainers across three days next week.
Just one week before the Cheltenham Festival five meetings could be hit, to follow the two races boycotted at Lingfield on Saturday.
The racing world has largely been united in its criticism of ARC-run racecourses over its shocking prize money levels at the grassroot level.
Trainer Ralph Beckett has sent a passionate email to over 500 trainers encouraging them to join the strike next week.
Two meetings at Lingfield are under threat, as well as fixtures at Southwell, Fontwell and Newcastle.
The email said: "All of you will know that two races were boycotted by owners and trainers last Saturday at Lingfield, in a protest over prize-money.
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"There is a proposal to do the same by not entering for all races at Arc racecourses on 6th, 7th and 8th March.
"Entries for 6th March close at noon tomorrow, 28th February, hence this email. Trainers are already committed to this, if you were unaware, you are now.
"If you are unhappy with Arc's contributions to prize-money, then this is your opportunity to vote with your feet."
Entries will be revealed for the first of these meetings on Friday, with the entries made today (Thursday) and will show whether enough owners and trainers have joined the call from Beckett.
Arc hit back at the proposed action by saying it could cost the sport £300,000 in Levy funding alone.
Arena Racing Company (Arc) have cut prize money levels in fear caused by the cut to FOBT stakes, predicting thousand of betting shops will be closed.
This would have the effect of reducing the amount of money racing produces because of media coverage via streams in shops.
A number of trainers and owners have already taken to Twitter indicating they will support the action.
However, with trainers heeding to owners as to where they run their horses, it only takes a small number of owners to run their horses for the action to fall through.
ARC has responded this morning, though, stating it will reassign prize-money from better races to the meetings under threat.
£250,000 is set to be taken from those higher-level contests, unlocking £428,000 from levy board funding.
The plan does not look to have gone down well with trainers who have reacted on Twitter in the immediate aftermath.
There will be no new money contributed, merely a re-jigging of funds - and although this is likely to be a temporary solution, there will surely be more unrest further down the line.
The next couple of days could prove vitally important to the future of Arc run racecourses and the grassroot all-weather racing that runs all year round.