CHRISTMAS READING

After the strangest year that has whizzed past in a blur, that time has arrived when we look towards restocking book shelves, or in some cases the kindle, which fits the purpose for most books that have recently come into print, apart from those you would consider collectors items or to be part of a long built set of volumes.

For those of a certain age, we feel more at home reading the writings of the good forum posts than most of what the modern press serve to us. Save its excellent database, the Racing Post now has nothing to offer on the horse racing front, with Gerald Delamere now even seemingly shown the exit door as part of a desperate cost cutting excercise with the year ending December 2019 showing another alarming drop in profits - this before Covid kicked in.

The Racing Forum, less busy than its hectic rival under the Betfair banner, has a thread running on the demise of the hardcopy version of the Timeform annuals. In one heartfelt post, a contributor summed up the significance of this development:

"Stop publishing the Annuals, and Timeform moves from a category of its own, to the category containing Racing Post Ratings, BHA Ratings, IFHA Ratings and a myriad of similar simple number-cruncher outfits. The difference between its old category and its new one is that the former is all about the horse, and the latter is all about the gambling. It is a loss of status in the horse racing world. It’s all downhill from here."

The above observations are a perfect summing up of how the sport is losing its soul and becoming more of a cold form of gambling, something that fits to the tune of the emerging generations who see football as the dominant betting sport and who will have zero interest or respect in horse racing as a sport along with its rich in depth history that knocks other sports for six, and who would be the groups targeted by this obtuse team competition coming our way next summer, God forbid.

They would certainly have no appreciation of class, hard copy racing books such as those containing illustrations of the late Richard Stone Reeves art. On several occasions down the years, something has got in the way of my purchasing a Patrick Robinson/ Richard Stone Reeves book called Decade Of Champions, published in 1980. 

I was first aware of this book's publication when it was advertised and previewed in the Pacemaker magazines. Just like when you'd browse through the album covers in 1970's record shops when there would be one that you'd mentally short list to leave with on every visit only to be drawn to another that would win your vote, Decade Of Champions was the publication continually left on the sidelines.

It was not until the past few weeks that I finally purchased a copy, forty years on from its release. Paying in excess of fifty quid for a second hand publication that, given racing's decline in status, will not increase in value, may seem poor value but having sampled the delights of what is an ideal dip in and out publication, the regret is not obtaining a copy earlier.

The book's opening setting is on New Years Eve 1969, with Charles Englehard hosting a gathering in his Florida home and proposing a toast to his Ballydoyle based champion juvenile, Nijinsky, dreaming of what could unfold during 1970.  This was a decade that is a strong contender to be the best and most exciting of any in the history of the sport. European racing boasted some magnificent animals but even so most genuine racing fans over here could not have failed to be aware of what an incredible run of years horse racing was also enjoying across the pond.

But the publication, while understandably having an American bias, attributes due respect to what was occurring in these realms, even if some of the categories certain horses are placed in raises an eyebrow - so too some inclusions such as Crash Course.

' World - Beaters' is split into parts one and two, with the first part covering Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, and Nijinsky, with Brigadier Gerard and Mill Reef put into the second part alongside Forego, Exceller and Troy - curious groupings.

Only five pages cover jumping, which is in a chapter that includes stayers on the flat, thus you now have the even odder mix of Sagaro, Bruni, Crash Course, Properantes, Red Rum, and L'Escargot.

But at the end of the day these nit picky jabs are dwarfed by the central theme of the book which are those wonderful representations of Stone - Reeves artwork. The large weighty publication is required to allow these paintings to fill the eye.

There is a taking side-on of Affirmed holding off Spectacular Bid in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, while the Triple Crown winner features in another cracking illustration later in the book when Alydar is covered in 'Beloved Losers', the pair rounding the home turn in the Belmont Stakes.

Perhaps the most eye filling portrayal is the full page plate of Spectacular Bid with Bill Shoemaker up. The legendary rider is also involved in a painting depicting the runners at the start of the 1978 Epsom Derby. Shoemaker is in the background aboard the eventual runner up Hawaiian Sound, with the soon to be winner, Shirley Heights, the dominant theme. You suspect that as there are only two other animals in sight, that the positions of the animals may have been added for the purposes of the painting.

Anyway, for racing fans that appreciate the sport has a true 'soul', this would be a must for the collection and I will now go after the other Stone Reeves racing books, with Classic Lines next on the list though right now all copies advertised are from stateside sellers with none available to purchase from the UK.

Two other publications, small, lightweight mini books that can be purchased second hand but contain some delightful black and white photographs are 'Tom Dreaper and His Horses ' and ' Vincent O'Brien The National Hunt Years'.  Both are by the same author Bryony Fuller, and are ideal dip in and outs over the coffee table. My copy of the Dreaper book was purchased second hand off a racecourse book stall and may have come from the late, esteemed Richard Baerlein's collection as tucked away inside is a letter from Letherby and Christopher confirming the writer on the guest list for a lunch party before racing in the Queens Anne Building at Ascot on 3rd March 1992.

Of the more recent publications that can be purchased newly, the painting is hardly dry on Barry Geraghty's career for his book to appear. In fact, I waited until this year to read ' Henry Cecil - Trainer of Genius', as enough time has now gone by since his passing to sit back and have a truly reflective look back at his career. I don't normally read Brough Scott books due to his persistent, one sided championing of the Maktoums involvement in the sport when he was C4's anchor man but he is undoubtedly a fantastic writer and the book will not disappoint any racing fan. In fact, it is in the public domain that Cecil himself fell out with the writer because he felt certain details of his story were told in confidence and should not have been included. Scott apparently had to balance this wish against what he felt was his duty to reveal to the public in his role as a journalist.

And for those who want to unclutter their minds of all things racing for a while, I'm halfway through Shane Warne's book which is warts and all and a damn good read too, while there are some absorbing true story, impressively researched publications around covering the Cold War era, and the involvements of M15, MI6, the CIA, and the KGB. 

Finally, not too forget that those full of soul old Timeform Annuals that you find continually on the second hand market. There may just be a small resurgence in demand for them while there are still enough ageing racing fans alive who retain their marbles.

With a Christmas theme -  a classy cover version of a song originally released in the year of Nijinsky's juvenile campaign.

A WHIPPING UP OF NONSENSE

Some professions are just not viable career paths that you can aspire to become from an advert in a job centre. When considerable financial reserves, the backing of someone very wealthy or, at the very least, being able to convince a bank manager that you are as safe as can be to be the subject of a large loan, are an integral part of the so called career path, then it is not going to be an occupation that 99% of us could realistically plan to succeed at unless the head is full of magic.

One such role that would not rationally be obtainable to assume the form of would be that of a racehorse trainer. The profession is formed either of those inheriting great wealth, have built their pot from being incredibly talented and astute in a different sphere of life, are shrewd stockmen with land available, or who have been talented enough to have made it as a rider in addition to being outwardly bright enough to attract backing from potential owners. 

These basic unwritten laws of reality apply across the board irrespective of ethnicity. Those of us of a certain age will clearly remember the young middle eastern Michael Albina training the 1982 Epsom Derby third Silver Hawk for Mahmoud Fustok from a Newmarket base. The same owner later installed a young Mohamed Moubarak at headquarters later in the same decade, from where they enjoyed notable success a few years later with the high class pair Green Line Express and Magnificent Style.

Admittedly, you get those rare characters who make it against all odds, these stories that have become folklore. We know the yard's worked for and horses backed that helped finance Barry Hills, then a couple of years later Clive Brittain, as they set themselves up in yards to become long term established trainers at the top level.

Michael Jarvis, a son of a jump jockey likewise worked himself up the ranks of stable staff and was given the opportunity of taking on the role of private trainer to David Robinson, then in recent times Charlie Appleby climbed the ladder within the Godolphin set up to earn his chance with his name on the licence after the departure from the scene of the disgraced Mahmoud Al Zarooni. 

But being realistic the odds are long against even the most gifted, hard working stable staff having a succession of cards fall right to end up with a licence while not having deep financial reserves. Yes a few will get there but there are lottery winners too, however unrealistic that desire may also be.

Which makes it all the more baffling that prominent in Rishi Persad's recent criticism of horse racing not moulding to fit diversity agendas, was that while many stable staff are from ethnic backgrounds, the same does not apply to the role of licensed trainers. This opinion appears to have been expressed in a context that could relay the impression that, like with stable staff, would be racehorse trainers can just forward a CV in response to a newspaper advert. The overall message is hardly one that will attract more ethnic minorities to the sport. 

Jumping aboard the diversity praising bandwagon is increasingly becoming a pathway to career promition. It is cheap, on safe ground self promotion, and a niche to carve out a career in itself as opportunists jump on, joining those already aboard who if not in it for their own gains are often blindfolded.

We have come a long way since the days that the Independent Television Authority, with the support of the Race Relations Board, had the plug pulled on a series called Curry and Chips, which starred such illuminaries as Spike Milligan and Eric Sykes. 

Nowadays, small segments, deemed offensive are cut from some of the old programmes. Many are preceded by an announcement that some viewers may be offended by the views expressed. And that is not just the prime suspects such as Love Thy Neighbor or Till Death Do Us Part - they are coming for the unexcelled Fawlty Towers, and will soon be on Reg Varney and Rigsby's cases, so those of us who consider those as part of a wonderful decade with happy memories should snap up the box sets quickly before they are removed and consigned to history - or judging by the way society is going airbrushed from history by the Ministry of Truth

If Persad wished to help the cause of those he feels are left out, then why not get the message across that in racing ethnicity is no barrier to how high up the ladder you can climb if the talent is there. But instead he is conveying a worrying message to those on the outside that skin colour is an issue within the sport and that black or mixed race working class people in the sport are given less opportunities than white working class people, a notion that has no substantial evidence to back if up.

I've no idea the percentage of black or mixed race footballers play in the top two leagues in England, but I would suspect that for the percentage of the population their ethnicity represents, they have a higher rate  of being successful than their fellow white players.

They have succeeded on their raw talent and long ago put to bed any ridiculous suggestions that their ethnic make up would result a downgrade of assessments of their raw ability and harm prospects of a career. The same is true in horse racing - it is totally preposterous to believe that a highly promising apprentice rider, from an ethnic minority background, would lose out to an inferior white rider in opportunities available due to his or her ethnicity. 

The only exception to this would be where perhaps the inferior rider was a relative of the trainer and in such circumstances fellow superior white apprentices would also lose out thus it would not be an issue of racial background.

And on the subject of football, as with those who have crossed into the sport with the finances reaped from being successful players, it is conceivable that sometime soon one of those many black ex professionals could cross to the racing world, pick up experience in a yard or as a permit holder, take his BHA course and obtain a trainer's licence.

If, or more likely when it happens, the new licence holder would most likely wish to be treated and assessed on his abilities at managing and guiding the animals in his care as opposed to being surrounded by some fanfare based on the colour of his skin. 

Problem at the moment is that the negative perceptions being carelessly wrapped in large banners around the sport by the characters such as Persad and the careerist racing diversity champion Apiafi, might as well be a warning to those from ethnic minorities to not bother trying to work within the sport.

That individuals are allowed free reign to sully the industry in the hope that they will be seen as some sort of pioneers in creating what they would claim as a change in attitudes, then take credit for it, is testament to how fragile and malleable the sport has become.

image from pininterest

This reached its highest point in the UK charts during Cheltenham week 1977, when Night Nurse retained his Champion Hurdle crown after taking a walk in the market when the heavens opened, and when Davy Lad triumphed in an incident packed Cheltenham Gold Cup full of ill fortune and tragedy, with the mighty Lanzariote losing his life.

RACING SAFER UNDER ITS TRADITIONAL WRAPPER

Rebranding is not something racing is in need of. A cynical exercise applied throughout business and industry that invaribly ends with money wasted that produces inferior, hammy labels whether it be Consigna, Aviva, Snicker, Starburst, or design changes in once long established logos, sweet wrappers, food tins and boxes, the end result always a step backwards.

Too many people in influential positions believe that 'freshening up' is regularly needed to keep customers engaged. The problem that arises is that while it would be a straightforward process to revert the pattern on a crisp packet back to an original, more popular design, 'freshening up' a product which is part of a large industry such as horse racing, involves changes in the workings of the machinery that can inflict damage with a wide fall out which cannot be reversed at whim.

We've just had the latest renewal of the Breeders Cup which is now stretched out over two days with new races added in recent years. Needless to say the extra options has unavoidably had a detrimental effect on the quality of the traditional events but on this occasion, it got away with it due to a Classic that attracted a mouth watering line up, an up to standard Breeders Cup Turf even without Enable and Sootsass, and a par for the course Breeders Cup Turf Mile. 

Another of the originals, the Breeders Cup Distaff, pulled in two heavies for a fascinating contest - in fact if you wanted to be picky you could single out the Turf Sprint, as the success of Sheikh Albadou and moral success of Dayjur shows that the traditional dirt version it is not an impossible goal for European turf animals.

But overall it is beyond doubt that, whatever you want to call it, ' putting life' into an event even, is just needless rebranding often carrying the dabs of boneheads who cannot fathom the possibility that established calendars that you can set your clock by are a strength and that when things appear to fall out of fashion it can be safer to sit tight than redo the jigsaw.

Racing still just about has its calendar in the traditional format though it will not indefinitely be able to withstand the continuous tinkering which in the UK has messed about with the venues and timings of some of the traditional autumn flat races - the Hoover Fillies Mile and Royal Lodge should still be at Ascot, the Champion Stakes at Newmarket two weeks after the Arc, with the only switch that has paid off is one carried out a few decades back when the old Vernon's Sprint, often staged in unsuitable testing ground, was brought forward in the calendar.

Change use to be applied with great care and consideration. The introduction of the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup at York, approaching half a century ago, was done with much forethought and history shows that it was one of the great additions to the calendar.

In the United States the rate of change went out of control. From the Washington DC International at Laurel Park, a forerunner to true international competion and a race won by Sir Ivor and Youth amongst others ( not too mention Admetus who ended up being tried over hurdles with Fred Winter!), we had the Arlington Million that started with a fanfare but soon to be reduced in stature with the innovation is of the Breeders Cup in 1984. And recent years we've had that gassed-up event at Gulfstream Park, then the Saudi Cup which has trod on the toes of both the Florida race and the Dubai World Cup.

It may be petty to view it as so, but the financial impact of the Covid 19 crisis might have a plus side of nipping this circus of squeezed in fancifully titled events in the bud. Put it this way, the UK are now being prepared for lockdowns right through until the spring. By then it it still be doubtful when full audiences will be permitted back into sporting events, unless that is you believe that against all odds they really have discovered a safe, effective vaccine so quickly. 

Chester have announced that they would consider mothballing their full 2021 programme if they were unable to reopen their gates to the crowds. Well, come next March, with the countdown to their May fixture ticking away, it is very unlikely that a decision would have been made by Government. Other venues will be in a similar predicament.

Fancy idea innovations and expansions will not be able to implemented, hopefully the plain stupid team competion postponed from last year will be a non starter in 2021 too. Other sports will be affected too with even the showcase football clubs unable to spend as the level of incoming revenues will not be able to be reasonably estimated. Many long standing, genuine match going football fans may actually take delight at this as it seems the ever expanding bubble will finally burst.

Now, that is a sport that has been taken by the ' freshening up' advocates. The Champions League had long gone stale, with teams that may have previously faced one another once in every ten or twenty five years, sometimes meeting half a dozen times in five years. This new planned super league which they say will have a safety lock on for seventeen years which is not really worth the mention as we can be sure that the whole concept will lose any initial dazzle in less than half that time, then be scrapped and replaced by some new, rebranded eyecatching super league with different demarcations.

The worst case scenario outcome for large audience sports would be, if like London buses, a new unrelated plague spreads around the globe. Not being a major league sport anymore, horse racing would be in pieces if this occurred. It would certainly put pay to any ideas brewing in the minds of the rebranding merchants who may finally come to see sense and realise that racing, while needing to downsize as things already stand, is better off sticking by its trusted rigid calendar and prizing it's traditions.

From a time when racing had so much more to offer. This strong opening track from a classic album released the day before April Seventh won the Hennessey, and Night Nurse beat Comedy Of Errors and Sea Pigeon in the best Fighting Fifth ever. The album would have found itself into many households by the time Captain Christy blitzed a below par Bula the King George.