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Racehorse Owners Association chief executive Richard Wayman believes the British Horseracing Authority has taken the sensible approach by allowing an at-risk race to go ahead as scheduled at Southwell on Thursday.

Despite being opposed to the three-month trial in general, the ROA welcomed the decision not to scrap the 32Red Handicap, even though it was at risk under the short-notice removal trial after only four runners were declared.

The class five handicap over one mile and three furlongs for three-year-olds was not removed from the card as there were insufficient alternative races coming up for the horses involved.

Wayman said: "It was always a feature of the trial that when you got to the declaration stage of a race that was potentially at risk, the BHA racing department would look at the programme for the horses involved to assess whether there was alternative place to run in the next few days.

"In the event there were alternative races, the race would be cancelled. And if there weren't, then the race would go ahead any way, even though it didn't hit the target. What you don't want is horses standing in their boxes.

"It doesn't surprise me that there would be situations like the one today where the racing department take the view there was nowhere else for these horses to run.

"You might as well let the race go ahead, so I think it's sensible.

"We are not supportive generally of the trial. Given the trial is going on, what they are doing is a sensible way of dealing with it.

"If there is nowhere else to run then you might as well let the race take place.

"If you cancel the race and there is nowhere else for the horses to run you are worse off than letting the race go ahead.

"At the same period last year you'd have taken out 11 races over the 13 weeks, so you are looking at a race a week. That is the sort of volume you would expect.

"One of things we are doing at the ROA is monitoring the impact of the race on those horses that are affected and how quickly they come out and find alternative races, talk to the owners involved and get their feedback.

"When the trial comes to an end we will be in a position to contribute to the review."

The BHA tweeted: "BHA decided not to remove the race on account of there being insufficient alternative options.

"In reviewing this case, BHA spoke to the trainers concerned and took account of the forthcoming options available to those horses.

"The short notice removal trial continues until 31 March."

Trainer James Tate saddles two of the four runners, Offshore and Quest For Wonder, and was understandably relieved the race will go ahead.

"I've got two in it as it was the right race for them to run in as they need a trip," said the Newmarket handler.

"I don't understand the rules with scratching races and not. They don't seem to be black and white.

"They are a couple of mile-and-a-half races in the next month or so coming up for 0-65 horses and my horses wouldn't qualify for those and they don't have any options coming up over that distance.

"I just hope I have a winner, and I bet the other two trainers in the race are hoping the same."

The trial was tested on the very first day after a fillies' handicap was scrapped at Southwell, though a claimer that also had four horses declared went ahead as it was not "at risk" following the entry stage.

Only three horses went to post.