THE current case before the Labour Court forcing Ballydoyle to defend its practices against the Workplace Relations Commission’s compliance orders is causing grave concerns in the racing industry.

There is an obvious contradiction in that if trainers are struggling to find staff, it indicates there is choice. And far from being forced to work long and unsocial hours, for those who do it, it is a case of doing something you love. In a time of economic recovery, employment levels are higher than at any time in recent years, and options are there.