DEAR EDITOR - We are well into winter and we are enduring National Hunt racing again over the sticks with the usual crop of horses with broken legs, spines or ruptured innards.

Prior to the running of the Grand National last year, I saw in the Sporting News that a horse named Papillon had been withdrawn. The reason given was that in a three mile chase it finished twelfth out of 14 despite being under pressure for the last mile. This is a euphemism for whipping.

This horse had been a winner but he was getting on and unable to satisfy his owner, despite being whipped for a mile - was destined for dog food or worse. One cannot keep a horse that is not paying his was, so say the sportsmen. Never mind the prizes and monies won in the past - that is just sentimentality.

Maybe to cut his losses, the owner sold Papillon across the channel, where he was destined to run on third class tracks where there is no RSPCA or proper veterinary care. He would literally be running for his life. Failure would be followed by transport across Europe (for how many days?) until he was butchered for meat.

Two items become apparent - a) no live animals should be exported and b) all races under the National Hunt Rules should ban the whip.

Why was it necessary for the jockey on Monty's Pass to continue to use the whip when he was clear by six lengths after the last jump and was unlikely to be caught?

I sincerely hope the owner of Monty's Pass will honour his obligations to the horse and when the time comes, give him a long and happy retirement.

A J Milne

Witton Avenue

Droitwich Spa