Perception buddy - anything that reflects somebody directly in control has chance to gain by losing is not on.
I'm the last person to cater to the nay sayers who like to criticise the perception argument but that's shocker.
Nicky Henderson backed himself to train no winners at Cheltenham
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
BHA takes no action over Nicky Henderson bet
By James Burn 1:09PM 30 MAR 2011
THE BHA will take no action against Nicky Henderson who admitted he had bet on himself to train no winners at the Cheltenham Festival.
Henderson, who saddled Long Run to win the Totesport Gold Cup and
Bobs Worth to win the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the festival,
revealed he had struck a bet at 16-1 that he would be winless throughout
the week, actions described by the BHA's Paul Struthers as "ill-judged
and inappropriate".
Rule (C) 64 of the rules of racing states that "a trainer must not
lay with a betting organisation any horse under his care or control to
lose a race, instruct another person to do so, or receive the whole or
any part of any proceeds of such a lay".
After reviewing his comments, racing's governing body confirmed it would not be bringing charges against Henderson.
Struthers added: "Whilst no-one has suggested that Nicky Henderson
would have wanted to train no winners at the Cheltenham Festival, it is
the authority's view that, if the bet was placed, it was ill-judged and
inappropriate.
"Having sought advice, the decision has been taken not to pursue the
matter because, as the rule is currently worded, there is unlikely to
have been a breach as there was not any separate lay of each runner.
"That said, we believe that a trainer placing such a bet, however
intentioned, is wrong and we will be looking to amend the relevant rules
to reflect this."
