Staff 'threatened' in racing row

BHB warns over further boycotts

Raceourse owners may call in police after claims staff were threatened in a row over the use of new stall handlers.

Arena Leisure says its workers have been subject to threats of physical violence.

Jockeys boycotted the Arena-owned Wolverhampton racecourse on Monday as the dispute escalated.

Arena introduced its own in-house workers to get horses into the stalls, replacing the RaceTech team which operates at most other courses.

Ian Renton, Arena's racing director, is due to meet representatives from the Jockeys Association and RaceTech on Friday morning in an effort to solve the dispute.

"I'm really disappointed by this and it could have not come at a worse time as we look for a solution," he said.

"Recruitment is being affected because people who are wanting to work for us are concerned by their safety.

"People wanting to join our team are being intimidated and that is a major problem because it is their livelihoods we are talking about.

"We have done our very best to keep things under wraps and out of the public domain but I think enough is enough."

The new in-house Arena team made a successful start at Wolverhampton on Monday - despite working in the glare of the jockeys' boycott over safety and the long-term future of RaceTech stalls handlers.

Renton insists the jockeys have not played any part in the hostile treatment of Arena's employees.

But he added: "In any other line of work this would not be tolerated and we have considered calling the police because this has to stop."