BOOKMAKER SLAMS SHUTDOWN Warwick Bartlett, the chairman of the British Betting Offices Association which represents scores of independent bookmakers, has joined the ranks of dissenting voices opposed to the cancellation of racing in Britain until March 7th. He slammed 'racing`s luvvies' for their decision to call a halt to racing for a week despite the government not insisting upon such a course of action. Bartlett said: 'It is a political decision, racing`s luvvies want to portray themselves as co-operating in the hour of crisis. 'The reality on which their judgement should be based is that after a four-month ban in 1967, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food concluded that the outbreak had little or no impact in controlling the problem. 'The UK motorway network will today be crammed with lorries driving through farmlands all over the UK. If the BHB is right then potentially most of these vehicles are carriers of the disease. 'The Government did not call for the ban and would have done so had they thought it necessary. Racing should continue until that is the case.'
