MAKING THE SPORT A LAUGHING STOCK

Fittipaldi and Peterson( pictured) during the time they were team mates at the formidable JPS sponsored Lotus run by another legend in Colin Chapman. Hard to resist downloading wonderfully nostalgic images of such icons in the team garage or pit lane. Can say the same about Lauda and Regazzoni, or Stewart and Cevert. Christ, those lot were as hard as nails.

Not to denigrate the dangers, injuries and deaths that have taken their toll on jockeys down the years, but trying a ludicrous team concept in horse racing in the belief that randomly put together racing teams can create the same awe of that inspired in Grand Prix racing is doomed to fail.

Seb Vettel may look a cool dude in one of those tried across most sports, folding the arms lark, but it doesn't create the same affect when it's Luke Morris doing the deed. Similar when in mid race when they might zone in on the two Ferrari's of Berger and Alboreto. Somehow, noting where Team eToro Racing's runners are after two furlongs does not work so unsuited is racing for this concept.

It made uncomfortable viewing. So called 'Team Managers' and trainers grouped together, wearing baseball caps - it could indeed have been a garage scene from a Grand Prix, or on the touch line in American Football. And all the time the proceedings being hyped up by the presenters.

Let's get this straight. It will not work long term. In fact it will be a total failure, gradually petering out. At first there will be some tampering, then the ratmatazz will go down a notch, and finally the whole show will disappear. No doubt at some cost too with plenty of no marks receiving large remunerations with the forces behind its creation getting away scot free. No one will be standing up and claiming responsibility. That's a certainty.

Anyone pointing to the longevity of the pretty awful Shergar Cup then using that to further an assertion that this latest gimmick will establish itself is forgetting that the Ascot competition was partly copied from those international jockey's events that began in the 1970's - we tolerated them back then as it was a chance to see the the likes of Cordero, McCarron, the mighty Shoemaker and the already acclimitising Cauthen in a different environment.  

Bill Shoemaker mesmerised viewers with one or two of his rides, shushing those who had scoffed at him after the 1978 Derby when he allowed Hawaiian Sound to drift away from the rail down the camber, letting Starkey come through on the rails on Shirley Heights to steal the race. 

Still, it was a one off. And the later installed  Shergar Cup, if anything, gives genuine racing fans the chance to spend a Saturday resting the mind and putting all thoughts of the sport out of their minds.

This team league event is something much more deeply structured and laughably takes itself seriously, something that the aforementioned event cannot be accused of. Those with their fingers in the promotion pie and who are earning money from voicing pretend positives will be hoping it thrives and survives, an outcome that thankfully there is little chance of happening.

I lasted for two races then took to my box sets in watching two episodes of the The Protectors, with the likes of Ralph Bates, Angela Douglas and Joanne Lumley making appearances. Then I viewed one of my favourite episodes of The Persuaders. The one with Joan Collins in. Was meant to be Rome but was filmed in Nice. Collins commented later that Moore and Curtis nearly came to blows several times during filming - the perpetrator mostly the rough and ready, short fused Curtis, in contrast to Moore, the self controlled,suave son of a high ranking military man.

What's this got to do with racing? Nothing at all directly but it's much more preferable to the embarrassment that was being staged at Newcastle. If racing is going to go down this route, a carefully selected bottle of red allied to viewing 1970's box sets will be a happy replacement.

What makes it all the more galling is that this week has been forty five years to the exact week that we had that most enjoyable Glorious Goodwood during that long, seemingly never ending drought of 1976. It was staged on ground described mainly as ' Good to Firm', thus watering must have been permitted - something that the climate change obsessed society would never have permitted to happen now, though back in that time there was generally more concern about the possibility of an ice age backed up by certain  scientists. If such an intense drought had happened now, it's unlikely we'd be racing on turf at the moment.

That 1976 Glorius Goodwood was Noel Murless's last as a trainer and he took the Richmond Stakes with his final truly top class animal J O Tobin, who at the end of the season was transferred Stateside by his American owner where he was campaigned with great success in a golden period for the sport over there.

Another memory of that meeting is when J O Tobin's Goodwood partner Piggott was aboard the almost white General Ironside in the Gordon Stakes, finishing third in an exciting finish behind Smuggler and Oats. We were told at the time how Henry Cecil thought General Ironside would progress into a genuinely top class stayer. He never quite made it. Had plenty of representatives in his second career as a jumping stallion too where he admittedly proved himself a fairish sire.

Other lasting memories of that meeting being Wollow in the Sussex, the admirable Peter Robinson trained stayer Mr Bigmore claiming the Goodwood Cup and the stayer's handicap won by Sea Anchor in the Dick Hollingsworth colours.

That was also the very week that the incredulous Lasse Viren came back to form at the Montreal Olympics and repeated his Munich feat of winning firstly the 10,000 meters, then the 5,000 metres a few days later. One can't help but think that apart from the golfers and that dodgy weightlifter, there will be little to remember from this present disaster of an Olympics.

Of Goodwood this week - well in the modern European racing world where the jam is in fewer jars than ever before there was a reasonably pleasing spread of results. With the Sussex Stakes we had a likeable if below par winner for the race in Alcohol Free, the same applying to the Goodwood Cup winner, but all taking an interest could not have failed to be wowed by Baeed, who is looking the real deal and there is nothing like a new star who promises to top the ranks emerging from nowhere in the middle of the season.

But even without rose tinted spectacles, it's clear the sport was in a better place during that drought year than it is now. Even with the inflation, whispers of threats of communism on the horizon, with an exodus of potential investors, the future of the sport was not under the same level of threat as it is now. It sold itself in traditional form and Gimmicks were not required.

image Deviant Art

From an album released late in 1972, would have been in thousands of households as Glorious Goodwood 1976 was being staged. Maturing racing fans may find this album amongst their parents vinyl collection.

RACING'S WASTAGE TRUTHS OUT IN THE OPEN

While the Panorama documentary was always going to paint horse racing in bleak colours, the first real indication of just how damaging it could be was apparent when  Saturday's ITV racing production went more overboard than they normally do with extra effort put into their customary ' how well horses are cared for ' features, with horses in fields being fed carrots, horses in equine swimming pools and horses in equine solariums, not too mention trumping up the prospect of September's National Racehorse Week in July.

If they discuss it this coming weekend God only knows what angle they will put on it for racing' s dirty secret is now out in the open and gone are the days when the powers that be will be able to be open over what are really non welfare issues such as so called whip 'abuse' from striking 80 stone animals with a cushioned stick, or the strangely newly recognised menace of low sunlight, while at the same time grateful that the biggest welfare crisis in the game is hidden away from the general populace.

To be honest, the ITV team would be better off not to acknowledge the programme but at the same time cutting down on the gushy ' racehorses are so lucky pitch ' - because there is presently such a smugness in the broadcasts that they will be digging themselves into a deeper hole.

Ironically, Luke Harvey cut his teeth at the legendaryTim Forster's yard, and ageing racing fans may recall that a good few decades back there was a written feature on racehorse aftercare in a racing publication and Forster made it clear that he went out of his way to ensure the animals he trains are found new homes and unless irrepairably and seriously injured, strives for this rather than responsible, humane euthanization, concluding that the animals would prefer longevity.

The Panorama episode had the potential to have been even more damning, for while they did refer to a figure of 4,000 thoroughbreds who had been in training in GB & Ireland ending up in abattoirs since 2019, they could then easily have shone the torch on the massive stallion books allied to the ballooned fixture list - then asked the question of what will happen to the masses racing at the lower levels whose owners may be feeling the pinch of the financial fall out from the Covid crisis.

And while since racing first began slaughterhouses have been the final stop for large numbers of young, reasonably healthy thoroughbreds, the numbers in training in recent years make it inevitable that the wastage rate is now numerically higher than anytime during the last century.

Admittedly, we would be naive to pretend that mistreatment in abattoirs is not widespread across the whole cattle processing sphere as the evidence is abundant and lucid and seems to be found on most occasions when the animal lib groups record video evidence - but while most of us will not really give too much thought to these issues when making a beef casserole or snacking on a tongue butty, racehorses are perceived on a higher plaine, are sometimes wrongly attributed with human characteristics, and draw in human attachment very easily.

One of the unfortunate animals featured in the programme, Vyta Du Roc, would have been familiar to all racing fans having been a regular at the showcase National Hunt meetings, often appearing in some of the sport's showcase events, and on some occasions being one of the leading players.

No wonder that while the Racing Post did at least feature a picture of him in action today, the article was  not accompanied by the usual link to the horse in the database, which as the publication goes, is the rule rather than the exception. No doubt they did not wish to refresh any fading memories and invite readers to dwell on how the hell such a great servant and money earner could be offloaded to a grim ending just when he should have been beginning retirement or a less strenuous second career.

The last feature race he ran in was the old Whitbread in April 2019.  That was his last race from Nicky Henderson's yard but he continued to race in the colours of the long successful partnership of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede when moving to Gordon Elliott for his final four starts. He made the frame in the first three, all point to points, then made his final appearance when a ten year old on November 2019 over the Banks course at Punchestown, starting 5/1 second favourite but finishing amongst the tail enders with blood on his nostrils so likely bbv'ing, - not an uncommon occurrence. He is listed as dying this year as a twelve year old.

One suspects that as the worms emerge from this giant, dark container there will be many in the industry stabbing others in the back while making every effort to cover their own. It would be no surprise if some tried to portray it as an Irish problem while if truth be told the UK mainland and Irish racing communities are intertwined and in house fighting will only speed up the downfall of the sport at it's present level.

The wastage issue should have been seriously and actively addressed a long, long time back. Even amid a time when a long running, potent human plague dominates the daily news, it must be doubtful whether those running the sport can tidy this up and convince the public that the house is in order. They've only themselves to blame.

image 123rf.com

From an album released in 1972. When UK racing had a manageable fixture list with the jam spread wide and a containable thoroughbred population.

MEDDLING FOR NO GOOD REASON

The call for meddling with the set in stone, unbroken classic schedule does the rounds every so often. It usually comes in the form of a suggestion to delay the dates of the first four, but the latest proffering, from Richard Hoiles, is that consideration should be given to staging the Derby in July.

Hoiles is of the opinion that if a two month gap existed between Newmarket and Epsom, it would allow the public time to digest what had occurred in the Guineas and to take in the build up to Epsom, familiarising themselves with the main players as the shape of the race becomes clearer through further trials  - though he's not touched upon whether a 2,000 Guineas winner with a strong chance of staying the trip at Epsom would stay off the track for two months between races, or would he be expected to run at Royal Ascot, and if so, would the race planners advise the upgrading in status of the ten furlong Hampton Court or the King Edward, which has a purpose for the Derby also rans along with those who were not ready for Epsom.

One only needs to think about the scenario for a couple of minutes to realise that multiple conundrums will sprout up from nowhere. And what too of the Irish Derby - there is no doubt that as opposed to the two races complementing one another, which they have done for many decades now, they will instead become fierce rivals, and both will end up the poorer.

What of those winners of the Epsom race in the past who possessed towering physiques that had many doubting that they'd act around Epsom. Golden Fleece a fine example, Barney Curley being so convinced that the Nijinsky colt would be all at sea on the helter skelter gradients that he backed every over animal in the race with half a chance, taking such a financial hammering that he went on a sabbatical for a few months. Despite the M V O'Brien/ Sangster/Magnier love affair with Epsom you have to wonder that if at the time it was the choice of one race or the other, they would have plumped for the Curragh.

And as for the public familiarising themselves with the Derby prospects - well, we are in 2021 when the sport has a lower profile than ever before. The general public don't watch the Derby in the same numbers as they do the Grand National In Name Only Chase, and don't tune into Royal Ascot as they would the Cheltenham Festival.

And as alluded to by some voices within the sport, a July Derby will take the buzz away created by many unknowns going into the race as by that time some of the contenders who would have been leading fancies may have had their stamina exposed and would not be in the line up.

Whenever asked how the Epsom Derby and Prix de l' Arc de Triomphe relate to one another, the Aga Khan believes validly that the Derby discovers the animal, and the Longchamp event confirms whether they are outstanding. Of course, you could bring the other big all age events into the equation with the King George once a means of confirming how the leader of the middle distance three year old generation stands with the elders and while this year it is encouraging that the Epsom hero is an intended runner at Ascot, we can only hope that the older generation are truly represented too.

All the big, celebrated events go through phases during which you get a succession of victors below, or barely hitting average for the race, then a couple of outstanding performers may crop up in a short period of time. We are on a poor run of Derby winners at the moment but who knows whether Adayer will be the the animal that stands out from the last few winners - the form is already looking solid.

You can’t go praising the existence of the race when the three years roll of honour reads, Nijinsky, Mill Reef and Roberto, or Sinndar, Galileo, High Chaparral, but when the race goes through a spell where the winners are not going on to threaten to top the rankings in the middle distance sphere, suddenly call for changes to the race, time wise or distance wise, which others have done.

Truly outstanding racehorses are a rarity. Of the Epsom winners in the past decade Camelot, Australia and Golden Horn were all well above average, and fitting winners of the event. In their second career as stallions Camelot has been decent, but no more given his opportunities. Australia had been middling given his opportunities and it would appear with both that any of their sons going to stud are not going to stir the big flat breeders with much anticipation. Early signs are that Golden Horn will be a great disappointment as a sire and faith will already be waning.

Returning to merit on the racecourse - well, Sea The Stars (pictured) in 2009 was the last truly outstanding ( using the word in the sense of pure proven racecourse ability) Derby winner. You could make out a strong argument that he he was the best Derby winner since Generous in 1991 - or you could even look at the Derby winners that have hit the Timeform 140 rating during their careers. Sea The Stars received an end of year 140, the first winner of the Blue Riband to do so since Shergar in 1981, who likewise received the same rating.You have to go back to Mill Reef in 1971 with a 141 to find the previous animal to hit this magical benchmark. It would actually not be unrealistic to make a claim that Sea The Stars was the best Derby winner since Mill Reef. The case would be a strong one.

Thankfully Sea The Stars is an established first rate sire though it is a pity and a sign of the times that his highest rated son so far, Crystal Ocean, has started his stallion career with that insulting  'dual purpose' tag, meaning that the flat breeders were not sufficiently interested.  

However, hope is not yet lost for the former John Oxx inmate to make an impact in future pedigrees through his sons on the flat as just days ago, a certain Baeed stamped himself as a high class miler with unlimited potential who could even end the season as the best three year old colt in training. No can deny how exciting he is and if he lives up to expectations he would without doubt be a son of Sea The Stars who the top level flat breeders would want a piece of. 

On the subject of how the event  presently sits as a maker of the breed. It would be daft to be over nostalgic and pretend that the status of the race is the same as 100 years back. We have to live with the consequences of the global expansion of racing, international competition, and to accept that for a long time now the Kentucky Derby has been viewed as the Holy Grail of the sport, which has been one of the influences for the desire for breeders to want Epsom Derby winners to be able to have produced optimum form over a mile or a mile and a quarter.

But truth be told it's not so black and white. The just passed away Galileo, a well above average and visually impressive Derby and Irish Derby winner who then followed up with a battling success in the King George, was not on weights and measures form a truly outstanding performer on the track. He was able to produce a top class performance in defeat over ten furlongs but his optimum was the full twelve furlongs. His phenomenal record in his second career could not have been envisaged - once Sadler's Wells is gone, there will be no like for like replacement, was a sensible line of prediction.

At the end of the day the Epsom Derby ain't broken and who knows, from a run of recent below par runnings we may have an also ran who will contribute to the breed. I've seen one running live, it unfortunately being the year Quest For Fame triumphed, one of the worst winners of the event since WW2, and sandwiched between two terrific winners in Nashwan and Generous. 

However, there was an Andre Fabre trained also ran by the name of Linamix who has gone on to establish his name in the pedigrees of many successful performers. Ironically, it was Fabre who was questioning whether the race remains a significant breed shaping event just prior to Galileo taking the stallion world by storm.

It's often when the stones start getting thrown that the persercutors are made to look fools and those who in the case of the Derby want the the date in the calendar, the distance, or both, to be 'discussed' are in effect throwing stones and it would be fitting if the race produced a cluster of well above average winners over the next few years.

The sport as it stands is struggling like never before, it's popularity diminishing. Gambling with unnecessary changes to an event what has contributed so much to horse racing's existence is something that should never be open for discussion.

image -photo taken by author 

This from a live album from a concert that took place a month before Persain War won his third Champion  Hurdle, L'Escargot his first Gold Cup, and at a time when Nijinsky would be the talked about horse with the flat season in mind  - and when any mention of meddling with the Derby would be considered sacrilege.