- By Sarah Rendell
- ` Sport
1 hour ago
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Six-time champion trainer Nicky Henderson was also among those targeted
Ten horse racing trainers have received calls from someone claiming to be the “acid man” and threatening to spray acid in their faces.
Targets include six-time champion jumps coach Nicky Henderson, Gary Moore and flat coaches Charlie Fellowes and Richard Fahey.
The National Trainers Federation (NTF) reported the threats earlier this month to police, who are investigating.
“It’s pretty terrible stuff,” said NTF executive director Paul Johnson.
Essex Police said it was investigating “a number of reports of malicious communications” from November 10, which they believe were linked.
Speaking to ` Sport, Johnson said: “The specific threat itself was from someone who claimed to be the ‘acid man’ and – there are slightly different versions of the same story – that he would hit the trainer on the shoulder next time at the track would knock.” They saw them and sprayed acid in their faces.
Johnson said trainers were used to being mistreated but this was a reminder that “this is not acceptable”, while individual jockeys have also been targeted in the past.
Saffie Osborne received death threats in 2021, prompting Lucy Snowden, the wife of coach Jamie Snowden, to create an initiative where athletes could report abuse.
The initiative was expanded by the NTF and here the trainers reported the acid threats.
In a statement, Essex Police said: “We are investigating a number of reports of malicious communications that occurred on November 10, 2023.”
“We continue to evaluate the reports and are linking the individual reports at this time. A total of ten victims have been identified and our investigation is ongoing.”
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