To accompany a strike and a demonstration in Paris by socio-professional trotting and galloping associations, aimed at protesting against an increase in taxation on betting, the horse racing industry will cancel the races planned for Thursday.
This is a rare enough fact to be underlined. The horse racing industry will cancel the races planned for Thursday to accompany a strike and a demonstration in Paris by socio-professional trotting and galloping associations, in protest against an increase in taxation on horse racing betting.
If an amendment to the draft social security budget providing for this increase was rejected, the sector fears that the subject will return to the Senate, according to a press release from France Galop. “Although the government’s amendment aimed at increasing taxation on horse racing betting has been rejected, it is essential to maintain pressure on the government and elected officials,” indicate the France Galop and Société du trotteur français federations in a statement sent to AFP on Wednesday. “This subject risks being presented again to the Senate or at any other time in the budget adoption process and races should not be a variable in budgetary adjustment,” they continue.
“Our jobs are at stake”
The only precedents for the cancellation of races in France date back to the world wars and more recently to the Covid period. This shows the importance given to movement. “It is essential to make it clear to the entire political class, through a strong mobilization on Thursday, that we will not give up, because our jobs are at stake,” indicate the organizations.
The sector plans to organize an event in Paris on Thursday, with a departure at 12:45 p.m. from Place Denfert-Rochereau, in the 14th arrondissement and an arrival at 4:30 p.m., Place Vauban, behind the Invalides. If for security reasons, the demonstrators will not travel on horseback, there will be a few horses on site, notably with the Italian equestrian stuntman and trainer Mario Luraschi.
Morocco
