Race with no runners in prizemoney row

THE ladbrokes.com South Croxton Handicap, due to take place at Leicester tomorrow, has been abandoned due to no runners being declared at the 48-hour stage as trainers take a stand against low prizemoney.

According to the tariff set out by the Horseman's Group, a Class Four handicap on a Friday should not be run for less than 7,000 and only 5,000 was up for grabs. The mile-and-a-half handicap had seven original entries but none of the trainers took up the option to run.

William Jarvis had entered Bouggatti to run but felt it was time to make a stand.

"I'm not running purely because the race falls some way below tariff," said Jarvis. "I like Leicester as a racecourse, the facilities are good, they've made a big effort on the stable lads accommodation but they've got to wise up. It's nothing against Leicester, it is against the tariff. Other racecourses have raised their game and so should Leicester. This is the second time it's happened this year. They've had one walkover and now a void race."

It was only just over two weeks ago that Leicester staged a walkover due to the ongoing row over prizemoney between the Horseman's Group and racecourses. On that occasion Harry Dunlop's Saint Helena had to canter down to the furlong pole and back to pick up the 6,000 on offer.

As a result of tomorrow's abandonment, the opening ladbrokes.com Walcote Maiden Stakes has been divided to ensure a six-race card.

Leicester's clerk of the course Jimmy Stevenson said: "I can only assume it's down to the tariff again. I have nothing to do with prize money levels so I can't really comment on it."

Marcus Tregoning had Lady Rosamunde entered and while Tregoning is supportive of the tariffs, she will instead run later on the card in a race that also falls below the stated level. "I appreciate the difficulties racecourses are facing but we have too much dross racing," said Tregoning. "There is too much being wasted at the bottom end of the scale and we have to try to improve prize money where it matters. She's running later on the card below tariff, but we have to make a stand somewhere."

Meanwhile, Timmy Murphy will replace the injured Andrew Lynch on Sizing Europe at Punchestown next week.

Lynch took a heavy fall from Fearless Falcon in the Weatherbys Ireland GSB Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Tuesday. The jockey had been enjoying his best season to date, riding two winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including Sizing Europe in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Murphy has ridden Sizing Europe to victory before, in the Greatwood Hurdle of 2007, and was back among the big winners in the Scottish National last weekend with Poker De Sivola.

"The results of Andrew's X-rays have confirmed that he's broken his left wrist and fractured his right humerus," trainer Henry de Bromhead told his website. "This means he won't be able to ride Sizing Europe at Punchestown next week."