Philracom urged to review handicap rules

Saying it’s cruelty to animals to impose a heavy handicap on horses, a prominent horse owner has written the Philippine Racing Commission to review and eventually make changes in its present handicapping system.

In his letter to the government agency overseeing the sport in the country, lawyer Narciso O. Morales made special mention of the ill effects of imposing the maximum handicap weight of 58 kilograms on horses as he rekindled the move to introduce new rules in handicapping.

“Considering the local conditions in our country, 58 kilograms for a racehorse to carry is cruelty to animals,” said the businessman.

“They (horses carrying 58 kgs) will be prone to injuries and this endangers the lives of the jockeys,” added Morales, named recently by Philracom as the most reputable horse owner in 2014.

Morales wanted to lower the maximum 58 kilos to only 56 kilos, a sentiment shared by most horse owners.

“In my personal experience as a long-time horse owner, carrying a 58-kilo handicap causes injuries to knee chip bones, tendons, and others,” said Morales.