That the 2020 flat racing season has been salvaged to to a degree that could only have been hoped for two months ago is something to be thankful for but, as with most other industries, there will be a staggering and sustained financial shortfall to be reckoned with once a full assessment can be made.
Prizes even at the very top have reverted back to levels of many years ago. In the very short term of a season or two it may not make much difference to an owner of a well bred entire winning a Group 1, but for someone with a hardy four year old gelding who will be able to tough it out in high class company for another two seasons at the very least, then the temptation to seek to sell, or to race in Australia or Hong Kong must be far greater than it normally is.
It’s tickling to dwell over the fact that it was as long ago as the 1980’s that Brought Scott, in his unofficial role as cheerleader for the Maktoums, would remind us how poorer UK racing would be if the family suddenly decided to up sticks and transfer their whole operation to a far away location.
In fact, on occasions he looked into the camera with such an intense expression as he spoke, it was as though he was responding to a critic declaring, “ they are ruining the sport, we don’t need them !”, but who could not be seen or heard by the television audience.
One must now start to wonder just how long certain races are able to retain their prestige with reduced prize money. If the deprived funds impact for just one or two seasons then it is something that can be overcome. But what if the new levels become the norm while remaining unaffected in the Southern Hemisphere?
Put it this way, when the powers that be in this country address criticism from those who maintain that the increases in prize funds at the top level are needless and disproportionate, they will try to justify their approach by warning that retaining prestige in a top level race can only be maintained with money levels similar to the other major racing nations.
At the other end of the scale, many of those involved with horses competing at the bread and butter fixtures will be forced to leave the industry if no solution is found to solve the crisis. Those departing will include trainers in addition to a multitude of owners. If this sounds like an overstatement then consider that the lower levels of the industry went on strike over lower grade prize money levels at a time when the present world impasse belonged to sci fi fiction.
The racing structure does have to be pyramid shaped but many fans despair how bloated the basement tiers became under Peter Savill’s tenure as chairman of the old BHB. This model fits in with the sport harvesting funds from the bookmaking industry through a gross tax profits agreement though purists will point to the resultant day to day menu of too many meetings to keep a handle on along with too much tripe.
There are races framed for horses rated so low that you could argue that they should be flapping at the likes of Hawick. This of course leads to the subjects of over production, animal welfare and wastage. These are areas that will not be able to escape the spotlight for much longer as the sport is forced to cut its cloth accordingly and downsize.
John Gosden has visualised this but for many it is something of a taboo subject. And it’s baffling why ITV racing have been boasting of the audiences tuned into Royal Ascot as though it is the beginning of an upturn in the fortunes of the game, while at the same time choosing not to allow even a moderate amount of air time to examine the detrimental long term impact the past few months will have on a sport that already had enough worries before the plague arrived.
It can’t be repeated enough how much better racing was in the days the fixtures were served, as top chefs will say, to leave you wanting a little more. Now the whole programme resembles an all you can eat for a fixed price but with the risk of picking up a dose of food poisoning.
Those of a certain age can sleep easy with the comfort that they followed the sport in the halcyon days of the 1970’s and 1980’s, knowing with certainty that the sport will never return to both the status and enjoyment levels that existed then.
Yes, it’s been a good week considering the circumstances with Stradivarius producing a memorable visual performance in the Ascot Gold Cup even if not beating a line up that could be considered anywhere bordering on above average for the event, a race which fell apart in conditions where winning margins exaggerate superiority.
Sagaro ( pictured) took his third Ascot Gold Cup on good ground by five lengths with Piggott sitting quietly until gently asking his mount to extend, with John Sharratt returning a comment for Raceform of ‘ v easily’. The runner up was another great French stayer Buckskin, the third home Citoyen completing a Gallic whitewash. They’d filled the first three places in the Prix du Cadran with Buckskin winning on that occasion. The fourth horse home was Bruni, widely acknowledged as the most visually impressive post war winner of the St Leger.
Despite those being times when widespread industrial action was continually on the daily main news agenda, there existed no dark clouds on horse racing’s horizon. The future seemed infinitely assured, it was a major sport and you could not imagine it being anything else at a time when many successful top flight football clubs could not fill out despite tickets being available for tuppence. Football was of course always far bigger but not by the country mile that exists between the two now.
Contrast with the present - admittedly football is going through a crisis period with the likes of Sky trying gimmicks and no doubt instructing guests to be more outspoken with the already outspoken guests asked to be even angrier, all to try and stem the cancellations of contracts - but at the end of the day it will at least recover to a level whereby it will safely remain head and shoulders in popularity above the other sports.
But racing is, putting it politely, deep in the mire. For some, it will mean having to leave the industry and begin a new life in an unknown sphere, for others, in particular many long term fans, they will at least have their fingers crossed that the new landscape offers something that if not able to match that of a few decades back at least can be tracked, even savoured on occasions.
But wishing that the sport returns to a fixture list size of fifty years back while also retaining its quality with the jam spread wide, is unfortunately an unrealistic hope.
Image from cover of Pacemaker International
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