Mann: Solution found

A solution looks to have been found to a dispute over prize-money levels that saw a boycott of a race at Worcester last month.

Trainer Charlie Mann organised a successful protest of an event at Worcester, a track that is owned by the recently amalgamated Arena and Northern Racing Group.

Action was taken by trainers with runners in the partex-direct.co.uk Novices' Hurdle as the race fell below the level set out in the Horsemen's Group tariff by £900.

With the backing of his colleagues, Mann arranged for 11 of the 12 runners being withdrawn, resulting in a walkover for Moulin De La Croix, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies.

Mann held talks with Arena and Northern Racing representatives Ian Renton and Jim Allen in a bid to resolve the matter and avoid any further action.

Although Renton has since left the group to be chief executive at Cheltenham, negotiations have continued, with Alan Morcombe, chief executive of the Horsemen's Group, also involved.

"I've spoken to Alan Morcombe, and Arena are bringing races up to tariffs from October 1," said Mann.

"And they have put money in through August and September to bring other races up to tariff in the interim It's good they've done this and hopefully other tracks will follow suit. It's good news."