MAGIC Of Light will today become the second Irish-trained horse to run in Britain this year. Emma Galway, office manager at Jessica Harrington Racing, told The Irish Field the process of clearing customs and meeting the new health certification requirements was not impossible but it was costly.

“We estimate that it will have cost between €700 and €800 before the horse even leaves the yard,” she said. “These are all totally new charges since January 1st. Ultimately these costs are going to be passed on to the racehorse owner and that will discourage them from travelling, which is bad for racing.”