AN EXODUS COULD BE ON ITS WAY

Masen would be an animal appearing in many written or mental note books as one who would pay to follow this season. He was progressing nicely with Ger Lyons last season after being gelded, the son of Kingman looking certain to have a future in valuable contests.

It would therefore come as something of a surprise when on scanning the entries, or being notified by tracker e-mails, to discover that he was engaged in a Grade 1 event at Keeneland the Friday before last and was now running from the Chad Brown barn.

We know Juddmonte have long operated successfully stateside, from the times when John Gosden was based in California, followed by Bobby Frankel. In fact the rise in the number of valuable Group races in Europe confined to older fillies and mares was a response to the number of female horses continuing their career in North America.

But in this case with a lightly raced four year old gelding who evidently is not a bleeder, the only reason he could be continuing on in another continent while remaining in the Juddmonte ownership would be for prize money reasons only. He was touched off by a nose at Keeneland and received over the equivalent of £70,000 sterling for his efforts. 

It's hardly a new trend. Theatrical who was a smart performer with Dermot Weld went stateside with great success in the mid 1980's. The 1990 Juddmonte owned Derby winner Quest For Fame, continued on with Bobby Frankel and won a moderately contested Grade 1 at Hollywood Park. He had been a below average winner of the Epsom race. Further back, the 1974 Derby winner Snow Knight continued on in the states, not to mention three notable French trained animals in Flying Water, Exceller and the legendary Dahlia.

And in recent times the Epsom Derby runner up Main Sequence improved massively over there - though in his case he bbv'd regularly when racing in England and clearly left to take advantage of the anti bleeding medication permitted in most of the North American states.

It  probably would be unfair to include the top 1976 juvenile J.O. Tobin. Noel Murless was retiring and his American owner preferred to take the colt back home, a move that most certainly impacted on some of the top mile and ten furlong races in 1977. With Blushing Groom remaining in France for the Poulains you would have at least expected him to have won the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas in which Nebbiolo defeated The Minstrel. As things turned out he proved a massive success racing in the land of his birth. 

For someone who in 1976 was in his second year of being completely smitten by the sport, you had to wonder whether top of the tree juveniles would be regularly making one journeys across the Atlantic, as from memory you had no precedent to go on.

But returning to the present, the possibility of an increased number of horses moving to another continent before even being tested in the early stages of their three year old careers is disquieting. The Donnacha O'Brien trained Sissoko was a highly promising juvenile who finished runner up to Luxembourg in the Vertem Futurity and being by Australia appealed as one who would be a much better three year old, up to competing in the valuable middle distance events.

Many would therefore have a little bewildered when the announcement was made that he was bought to race on in Hong Kong, a peninsula that is better known for sprinters with the majority of purchases from Europe falling into this category. His new name is not yet listed over here but he has gone for sure, holding no future European entries and missing from the list in O'Brien's entries in Horses In Training. One surely would have thought that they would at least give him half a season in Europe to accurately assess the level he could reach.

This long established trend whereby horses sold to race in Hong Kong undergo a name change seems unnecessary and to a small extent messes up many of the modern, computerised form books.Timeform’s database will at least have a note in the entry under the original name, that the animal has moved to Hong Kong to be campaigned under the stated new name. If on the other hand you search under the new name, there is no link to the animal under the original one. There are no updates as of yet with Sissoko.

The Racing Post database is even more unhelpful. Once an animal changes name it copies over into all previous races. Thus if for example you look at the 2006 St Leger Yearling Stakes, the one staged at York when they were rebuilding the stand at Doncaster, you may be a tad baffled at not being able to remember the winner, Helene Brilliant, ridden by Frankie Dettori.

The runner up will of course be most familiar being the following season’s 2,000 Guineas victor Cockney Rebel, making that renewal of the York race one of the most significant events of its type in the last couple of decades. But you’d need to dip into a paper form book to discover that Helene Brilliant won that restricted sales race under the name of Doctor Brown ( in picture).

Similarly, as the significant Derby trials will soon be upon us, many might start refreshing the memory by delving into the Dante’s over the past 15 years to assess whether the race is holding up its significance as a trial. 

The 2009 renewal which resulted in Ballydoyle filling the first two places headed by Black Bear Island, was not one to have an impact on the Epsom race, but you’d need the loose leaf editions of the form book to assist after wondering why the name of the runner up, Straight Forward, fails to ignite the memory cells - again being another Hong Kong export job, the Galileo colt’s original name Freemantle perhaps vaguely still being in the memory. At least he was allowed to race for half of his three year old season in Europe, culminating in a fourth place finish in the Grand Prix De Paris, marking him as very smart but clearly off the very top level.

Admittedly, the purchase and transfer of horses to race in other jurisdictions has not up to now had any real notable detrimental impact on the sport here, the exception being horses being horses sold to race in Australia and the Middle East, who in times gone by would have been eyed up as prospective hurdling recruits by the big jumping yards.

But sooner or later something that is not even a steady trickle of equine talent to other continents may turn into a running tap with a continuous one way flow away from this part of the globe. It’s a trend now predicted by some of the most influential and respected voices in the game, a result of course of the failure  of the overall prize money levels here being unable to even keep the other continents in sight. This is nothing new but the gap is widening and will increase at an alarming rate once the after affects of the unavoidable soon to be imposed gambling affordability checks.

This gloomy expectation now appears inevitable.Tradition and prestige only have so much mileage. And prestige itself cannot run on fresh air - it requires continued prize money boosts. In a time when programme changes and new races appear at a rate previously unimagined, expect to see more potentially top class horses leaving this continent before beginning their three year old career -and don't rule out one even in the J.O. Tobin league leaving early.

image taken by author 

This tune was prominent in the charts when J.O.Tobin won the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.

A SPORT UNRECOGNISABLE FROM THE PAST IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE

I cannot recall racegoers being surveyed over plans to introduce a cashless operation for food, drink, tickets and race cards - it’s not yet been extended to cover bets, but that time may be closer than many think as the racecourse itself would offer an escape route for those wishing to avoid the proposed affordability checks.

The first time I had to endure the card only policy was Becher day at Aintree back in December. At the time it was reasonable to assume that this was only a temporary restriction, introduced for Covid reasons which meant it could be just about be tolerated.

But when returning to the venue last Thursday it became clear that this is a permanent measure, brought in quietly through the back door. No doubt all the racecourses under the Jockey Club banner will likewise have brought in what to many over a certain age will be viewed as an unnecessary restriction.

A great many are comfortable with cash - card payments open the door to a wide range of unscrupulous ploys. I doubt there is hardly anyone in existence who has not had to have a card replaced after noting transactions made in stores hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of miles away.

Those running the courses would perhaps point to their own security concerns regarding large amounts of cash accumulating on course and having to be transported away. Though I have no stats to support this, the methods of securing the passage of cash to a bank along with the devices set up so as to render anything stolen unusable, have surely made these type of robberies extremely rare - certainly compared to the days when they seemed to occur numerous times each month- the culprits being tracked down by real life Thaw and Waterman and Sewell and Mower type characters.

Truth no doubt is that the card only system allows them to undertake a detailed analysis of the attendees habits, forming trends that will enable them to pinpoint where profits can be maximised. 

Last Thursday was to me a glimpse into the future of how the courses that survive will operate. In a gambling prohibitive society the only way the game would survive will be racecourses turning their business model entirely to one based on enticing as many visitors as possible through the gates to spend as much money as possible on food and drink.

 One must remember that picture rights and levy from gambling go hand in hand - affordability checks will massively reduce the desire and need to view live feeds of the sport meaning that the value of live broadcasts will drop accordingly.

The racing itself will become more detached than ever before- forming a backdrop to the real business of the day. Didn’t the paddock side look very spacey on Friday and Saturday ? A true sign of this transformation, the horses themselves of zilch interest to the masses.

I was with two non racing fan drinking buds on Thursday, outnumbered, I experienced the day as the category of racegoer who most racing fans cannot make heads or tails of. Well behaved yes, but showing  no passion towards the quality equine fare on show.  Enjoyable too, and I did successfully manage to drag my two companions out of the bars and down to the last for the juvenile hurdle, and to the paddock for the Bowl, ( "these horses are household names to racing fans") and they’ll be back next year but again just for a day out and they are unlikely to watch a televised race in between, not even the Grand National In Name Only Handicap Chase. 

No doubt very soon all of the racecourses will have fully embraced the get all and sundry in to spend practice, which they consider now offers them the best way of keeping in profit. But they must also have taken heed of the negative feedback from these modern ‘racegoers’ who attended Cheltenham, many vowing never to return due to what they considered were exorbitant prices charged for food and drink.

Aintree were charging in between £7 - £8 per pint of all the normal stuff they have on tap. Even allowing for the fact that the price of alcoholic drinks have increased across the board, and that racecourse prices have always been up to 30% to 50% higher than your average high street pub, it was still beyond justifiable.

Make no mistake, the movers in the business world who have the wherewithal combined with the nous to make things happen will spot opportunities to structure rival attractions to lure these 'racegoers' away. All the fun of a big racing day, more competitively priced, with gimmicky events replacing the racing that won't be missed at all by the modern attendees. Very quickly, a day at the races for those indifferent to the sport will not be the chic thing anymore.

The sport is not in a good place at the moment. The mirage that is the Grand National In Name Only Handicap Chase will not paper over these cracks. Influential figures in the sport are now coming out and voicing their concerns.The game is in for a harsh reality check  coming very soon.

image taken by author 

A terrific track from a terrific album when this band were at the height of their powers talent wise, and when horse racing, both European and Stateside, was in its element and a couple of tiers higher in popularity than now.

FULL OF THE MISSING AND INCOMPLETES

The latest edition of Horses in Training is out for purchase and being realistic one could only have hoped rather than expected a general increase in co-operation from licence holders who after all have no obligation to volunteer detailed information about their strings to a commercial publication.

That said, when they start to complain about what will be a general devaluing of prize money in parallel to their running costs, maybe those who haven't given their secretaries time to complete the forms or who have returned the form with half completed strings or even not competed it at all, will consider that it would have done no harm to have contributed to what is a historical work of reference. 

It cannot be said enough that when someone becomes properly hooked on this game they will be punters for life. It's their ticket in. They do not own or train horses but their judgment of how they will run can at times affect their level of living and how much spare cash they have to splash out. And this is something that even applies to so called responsible punters.

The time of publication means that on going through the pages your attention is drawn to the prominent flat strings, particularly the strength of their juveniles and whether they have any new notable patrons, or if any of their most powerful supporters have chosen to cut off supply.

If the annual was published in October the jumping strings would be the focus of attention as you'd turn to the large yards and note the number and quality of new recruits sourced from France or the Irish pointing fields. 

During the 1970's I'd turn first to the Seven Barrows team of P.T.Walwyn, followed by M. V. O'Brien, Major Hern and H.R.A. Cecil. In the later part of the decade you could hardly fail to notice how two great owner breeders in Lord Howard De Walden and Louis Freedman were beginning to favour Cecil over Walwyn for the cream of their products.

When  comparing the strength of yards nowadays, you are left having to guess and fill in the gaps. The Gosden yard have yet again failed to supply details of their juveniles, and so too has Michael Stoute. While one must appreciate that the latter is slowly winding down with no apparent heir ready to take control, these annuals have been viewed by enthusiasts as works of history and if trainers are not willing to provide such details to save what they may feel is embarrassment of revealing how the strength of the yard has weakened, then they are giving scant regard to the greater picture and how the present will be viewed in future years.

Mind you, if truth be told, the whole game as we know it could be up soon and I doubt in fifty years time that Horses In Training annuals will collectables and eagerly sought. In fact, that sort of enthusiasm has long gone as can be seen by the pittance that most of the old Timeform Annuals go for on e bay. 

On acquiring the annual this year it wasn't a showcase yard I turned to first, it was the Great Habton set up of Tim Easterby to see whether they had been given a reprieve by King Power Racing, who had not provided any juveniles to the stable last season, a clear decision that they were winding down their patronage to the yard but one which looked misjudged when Winter Power triumphed in the Nunthorpe, providing the owners with their most prestigious victory in their entire ownership.

Last year Easterby only listed twenty one juveniles, leaving out those who he'd not yet acquired an owner for, or syndicated, or had yet to purchase at the breeze up sales - he begins this season with sixty three year olds which is why the eleven juveniles listed for 2022 will be way off the true number. Nevertheless, there is no sign of any fresh support from King Power and this is backed up by looking at the entrants for the very valuable Doncaster sales race in which the owners are represented by four entrants, two with Roger Varian and one each with Richard Hannon and Andrew Balding.

The popularity of the breeze up sales makes you wonder why they don't delay publication of this annual until May. It would make it more accurate as a work of reference, and let's face it, the days when you'd get buzzed up for the start of the flat and look excitedly forward to the Lincoln have long gone, thanks or should I say no thanks, to the expansion of all weather racing along with the Meydan Festival.

Horses In Training certainly does catalogue changing fortunes in the game. Compared with times past Marcus Tregoning has been struggling in recent years. His now thirty four strength yard is made up of sixteen older horses, eight three year olds and eight juveniles. Amongst the juveniles are two from Shadwell, and one from Kirsten Rousing.

Jane Chapple-Hyam who trains Claymore, the horse they all want to buy, is listed with only a single two year old, while Peter Chapple-Hyam is listed with no juveniles. These things make compilation of the publication pretty meaningless. Mick Channon has forty five two year olds, a long way off the number when the likes of Sheikh Ahmed supported him to the hilt. The yard was then full of Green Deserts - now there are Sixties Icons in every other box!

Channon cut his teeth with the Hannons and over at Herridge Racing Stables there are two hundred and thirty five horses housed, over half of them juveniles. It's been the same successful modus operandi for decades with the Doyle family operating for them at the yearling sales. The types purchased generally being animals who will be active as juveniles but will also train on. Generally with sprinter/miler pedigrees from the middle range of the market - though he does have an unnamed Sea The Stars filly purchased for 400,000.

Elsewhere, Ian Williams who has reputation for making good from others cast offs or bargain basement purchases has two juveniles, purchased for over 40,000 each. Will be fascinating to observe what he makes out of these two colts, one by Expert Eye, the other a Ulysses. And what of who arguably is the best pound for pound trainer in operation, Clive Cox. Well, looking at the pedigrees of his two year olds there is no doubt he is still stereotyped as a trainer of speedster - this someone who trained an ex Donald McCain horse to beat an Arc winner in the Prince of Wales.

There has not been much co operation from the French trainers - something which rarely happened in the past. Looking at the mighty Argentine Angel Penna's string in the 1977 edition, his thirteen older horses included three English classic winners from the previous season in Flying Water, Pawneese and Crow  - not to mention a certain Buckskin.

Joseph O'Brien is another handler who had not submitted the form but his father has returned details of the  Ballydoyle string and what is fascinating is that only seven of the eighty two juveniles are Camelots, which could well be indication that they don't believe the son of Montjeu will prove himself as a sire of flat sires, despite him going into this season being represented by leading classic hopeful Luxembourg. 

Another interesting aspect of the Ballydoyle juvenile string is that there are no American Pharoahs, a clear sign that the outstanding triple crown winner has not delivered as expected, certainly as a turf sire, and there must be some prayers offered in the hope that Justify makes a brighter beginning to his stallion career. They have ten two year olds from the first crop of the monster chestnut.

Charlie Appleby's string is as strong as ever before and closer in quality than ever before to the Ballydoyle one. In fact, going into this season his string of older horses which include Derby winner Adayar, and the best St Leger winner in recent times in Hurricane Lane, are stronger than those housed with his Irish rival. It's also a toss of the coin call as to who has the best team of three year olds - a situation that you could not have envisaged even just a couple of years back.

Anyway, always a handy dip in dip out publication to have on hand but unfortunately more incomplete than ever before and not one which can now be looked back upon as an accurate historical work of reference, a category which it fell comfortably into a few decades back.

Racing fans who purchased this album, released in December 1969, would likely have had copies of Horses In Training resting nearby. And they would have been true works of reference at a time when even the most brusque charactered licence holders would dutifully provide details of their strings