A RARE GOOD WEEK FOR THE SPORT

Even those of us who can see that horse racing on these isles is faced with an uphill battle to halt a further decline in its position alongside rival sports, it would be pretty mean not to take a time out and concede that it has been one hell of a good week for the sport.

To start by getting the negatives out of the way, we again are able to cite many examples of how many races at the festival, including key championship contests, were diluted by the choice on offer, not to mention the truly diabolical planned review of the future of the four miler, which was a tremendous, 'in the spirit of the game ' spectacle.

Many of us became bitten by the bug during the 1970's when it was not unusual to have mudbath festivals,  fields strung out with many unable to complete the course, horses with tails tied, and jockeys with unrecognisable silks. It makes a change from horses sprinting up the hill, a visual impression that defies the fact that festivals run on ground described as 'good' produce more fatalities.

But overall on the week, the pluses undoubtedly outnumbered the negatives.

Switch the clock back to November 1984 when Jayne Thompson suffered fatal injuries from a first flight fall in a hurdle race at Catterick. The future of female jockeys in National Hunt racing, put into gear properly by Lorna Vincent in the 1970's, was at a crossroads.

In response to Jayne Thompson's death John Francome was quoted saying he did not think that ladies should be allowed to participate in this sphere of the game. To support his argument he pointed out that while during a fall a male rider would naturally roll up to protect the crotch area, the girls do not make a shape and land like a rag doll. 

In the next few years Gee Armytage came on the scene and enjoyed success at the Cheltenham Festival. Since then the girls have become increasingly stylish and competitive to the point where their sex is now not an issue.

Furthermore, the modern day jockettes are in the main fine ambassadors for the game. Someone questioning the ins and outs of the sport, whether it be integrity or equine welfare would sit up, listen and respect what Bryony Frost is telling them far more so than a BHA spokesperson or smug TV presenter.

At present, many people with clout within the sport are imagining that there is a large world out there watching and monitoring the sport, seeking to put an end to it on account of perceived cruelty.

Those outside the bubble, who belong to the general populace, know this is entire nonsense. Considering that last year there were six fatalities at the festival, a higher than expected number considering the ground was soft, there was no notable outside resentment as this year's staging drew nearer, even accounting for the availability of social media which can make a grievance appear to have bigger support than is the case.

If this had been 1979 instead of 2019, there would have been a congregation of hippies outside the course carrying placards, blowing whistles, and in contrast to what they would claim they stand for, they would no doubt of been hoping for a few grim incidents on track to add weight to their cause.

Indeed, apart from the back stabbing BBC who may or may not wish they hadn't washed their hands of the sport, the life ending injury to Sir Erec did not receive the coverage it might have done in past times. Ted Walsh's ' Man up'  tweet, along with the general, ' it's a dangerous sport, this happens, we have get on with it '  response from the racing media was for once the correct approach to take and does not appear to have been met by any notable outcry.

And if in the unlikely circumstances there exists a vast number out there who are cynical of the sport on welfare issues, they may just reconsider their opinions after listening to the thoughts of the modern set of lady riders, most of whom are PR savvy with personable facades.

Racing has in the past thirty years picked up the habit of kowtowing to rival sports that have less depth, history and components, but which have been the benefactors of modern broadcasting and first class presentation.

Indeed, there is a woefully misguided drive to copycat aspects of these other sports with the already much discussed barmy ideas soon to become reality.

So another realisation from the present high standing of the lady riders in the British Isles that needs to be trumpeted aloud, is that out of the major sports, racing is the only one where the girls compete on equal terms. Only the other equine sports of show jumping and three day eventing are similar in this sense.

While watching a first class cricket match on television during the summer, I was a little miffed to hear a female commentator proclaim that a drive through the covers was ' Sarah Tayloresque '.It was made as though the girl's cricket game is comparable with the mens. Anyone who has tried to sit through a ladies cricket match can only come to the conclusion that it is a load of garbage.

Sky's cricket coverage is generally performed to the highest standard with a terrific team of presenters, some who are involved in those fascinating workshops that they show pre-match or during intervals.

However, lately there have been female presenters joining the team, many who have played the ladies game, and are placed on an equal pedestal to the men. Similar to the football coverage, the studio team now seems to always include a token female, often accompanied by a caption that they have won so many FA Cups and league titles.

As with the cricket, ladies football is dire to watch. Put it this way, if it was so popular why does it have to ride on the back of the men's sport to survive ? When we pay for Sky do we have the options of having our bill reduced for forsaking these sports ?

Of course not, they are forced on to us, being part of the cricket and football packages that we pay for. They would never be marketed individually as hardly anyone would pay for them. They are not popular enough to stand strong alone.

Of the ladies sports only athletics and tennis would be able to stand alongside the male versions. Both are immensely and universally popular, watchable, and there is that aura of glamour attached to the ladies tennis.

The only other ladies sport that enough people may one day be prepared to pay for alone would be the Golf. Speaking to people who play the sport, while they are unable to comprehend with the levels of performance that the men are able to achieve, they say they can share and relate to how the ladies play the game.

Thankfully, such arguments are not relevant to racing, as exemplified in no better way than ever before last week. It is a major plus point that should be utilised to the full. It also testament to why it is a sport that needs no interference from the diversity freaks. And that is something it should be very proud of.

image by 'Prayitno' CC license