Pipe row: chief vet wants action

The media and the RSPCA have said "jump" over Martin Pipe's scattergun approach to winning his 15th trainers' title.

And the Jockey Club's chief vet Peter Webbon has asked how high? Victory in the much-hyped duel with Paul Nicholls has come at a heavy price for the man who rewrote the manual on how to train jumpers.

RSPCA spokesman David Muir has accused Pipe of "outrageous" behaviour in running Commercial Flyer three days running to help his final push for the title.

Former trainer Charlie Brooks has argued that it was "criminal" to run Sindapour at Sandown on Saturday less than 24 hours after he took a heavy fall at Newton Abbot, and Webbon has reacted to their criticism by throwing his weight behind a plan to ban horses from running on consecutive days.

Webbon has been advising the Jockey Club for the best part of a decade - which begs the question of why he has never raised this issue before the weekend's controversy - but today stood by his view that change would be welcome.

"It's a personal view, but we have to ask whether we have the balance right and I think everyone would agree that it's time to revisit this issue," he said.

"You have to ask what were the chances of Commercial Flyer running to his potential on the third day?

Most people would say it was unlikely, and therefore what was he running for?"

For the record, leading independent form experts Timeform feel Commercial Flyer ran the best race of his career despite being beaten on Saturday.

The Racing Post's handicappers agree that the chestnut showed improved form on his third start in 48 hours, but image often takes precedence over reality nowadays and the days of horses being turned out swiftly could be numbered according to Jockey Club spokesman John Maxse.

"Peter is keen to discuss the issue with the veterinary committee and, if the response is unanimous, then it may well be converted into a practical measure," he said.

"That said, it bears repeating that Mr Pipe hasn't broken any rules. The grounds for concern would obviously have been greater had the decision to run those horses back-fired, but it seems that both horses returned fine."

Meanwhile, a wonderful week's racing gets off to a flyer with day one of the Punchestown Festival tomorrow.

The flyer in question is Moscow Flyer, who will bids to make it 20 wins from 20 completed starts over fences in the Kerrygold Champion Chase. Jessica Harrington's gelding will be a heavy odds-on chance to add to his wins at Cheltenham and Aintree and is reported "in great form" for his return to home soil.

She said: "We've taken him for a racecourse gallop since his Aintree win, as we didn't want him to start thinking that his season was over."

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