Sport

Horses bound for Cheltenham face new Brexit hurdles

Festival binds the UK and Ireland around their love of thoroughbreds - but bureaucratic hurdles both sides must jump are another reminder of the barriers Brexit

About 240 Irish mounts are expected to attend the festival, according to Horse Racing Ireland, likely to be more than half of the runners at the event. Picture: Getty

Before the cart, or even the horse, comes something else to put first: the Brexit paperwork.

That’s what transporters outside the UK are dealing with as they move racehorses into England for this week’s Cheltenham Festival, among the richest sweepstakes in Europe, after more border requirements started taking effect at the end of January.

The additional UK customs rules mean shipping services must complete extra electronic documentation before the cargo arrives at ports. Without it, ...