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Horse-doping risk given undue weight, Tribunal is told
Page 61
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ARACEHORSE trainer had been granted a horsebox licence in the face of objections from horse transporters because of the "unfounded fears of horse doping", it was claimed during an appeal at the Transport Tribunal on Tuesday.
"Horse doping does not very often occur and there has not been a single example in this case of anything going wrong with security using hired boxes", said Miss Elizabeth Havers, representing Lone Star Transport Ltd. and W. and G. Transport and Co. Ltd., of Lewes, Sussex. The firms were appealing against a decision of the South Eastern deputy Licensing Authority. The decision, made in May this year at Brighton, granted trainer Mr. Alan Oughton of Findon, Sussex, a licence to run a horsebox over a range of 200 miles.
Miss Havers said that security and the fear of doping had been given too much emphasis in the case. "It has been said by the Tribunal in the past that the question of security cannot be taken into consideration when dealing with cases of this kind", said Miss Havers. "The Tribunal have ruled that they must be dealt with in the same way as other transport matters.
"This case has been argued on the basis that security is of paramount importance", said Miss Havers. "But this is a reputable company and there have never been any complaints about security." In any case Mr. Oughton always sent one of his lads with the hired horseboxes and he stayed with the horses all the time, she said.
On the question of transmission of infection—another of the reasons for granting the licence—Miss Havers asserted that the horseboxes were thoroughly cleaned after each journey and there had been no example of any horse contracting any infection from one of the boxes.
Mr. J. Amphktt, for Mr. Oughton, said: "I know the question of security is not sufficient to grant a licence but it is a consideration". He said that the deputy LA had approached the matter in the correct way, granting the licence on the grounds of security, risk of infection from hired boxes and the lower costs to racehorse owners if a trainer's own box were used.
Mr. Amphlett said that a number of trainers ran their own horseboxes and if Mr. Oughton were not allowed one he would go out of business. He said that Lewes was 22 miles away from Findon and it was unreasonable to have to send that distance every time a horsebox was needed.
Tribunal president Mr. G. D. Squibb said that their decision would be given in writing.