A LOWPOINT IN RACING BROADCASTING

While we do have the choice of how to view our racing, with the option always available of pressing the mute button to avoid the inane filler often forced upon us between races, it is difficult to resist the temptation to take in the showcase meetings through the main terrestrial broadcaster, for we can judge how the casual viewers are targeted.

Since the long passed days of Wilson, Lindley, Hanmer and O'Sullivan covering the sport with polished professionalism, we have always had to endure the odd cringeworthy moments, many on the old C4 with Derek Thompson involved. 

However, this past week surpassed all for gooey, condescending presentation, most eminating from arguably the worst frontman ever to present the sport in this country.

That feigned look and sound of surprise when he turned to the viewers to repeat John Gosden's remarks on the inept Dettori ride on Stradavarius, his repeated praises for the so called present well being of a struggling sport in crisis, his repeating of co presenters statements with an added false wow factor emphasis, his reluctance to get involved on the subject of jockeys being jocked off, - in fact his reluctance to address anything remotely controversial.

Then there is the agenda which he and most of his co presenters willingly embrace for the programme, whereby all is well within the sport, that the sport is thriving, that there are no animal welfare issues to address within the sport - at every opportunity we are told how the horses receive five start treatment on and off the course, with the cameras used to support this view and with figures of officialdom interviewed to press this over to the audience.

I seem to remember that not so long ago the show promised that they would be returning to the wastage issue, vowing not to sweep it out if sight under the carpet - something precisely that they seem to have done such is the enthusiasm behind wall to wall upbeat themes.

If this latest renewal of the Ascot Gold Cup had been run during the 1970's or 1980's the aftermath would be covered in a no frills straight to the core style. The BBC viewers would be taken through a full replay of the race with Julian Wilson and Jimmy Lindley. It would of course be in Lindley's nature to show a degree of empathy to the rider, but not delivered blindly without criticism. Anything on the lenient side would be countered by Wilson and if Gosden had come up to the box and uttered the sentiments of last week, Wilson, on conclusion of the interview, would stonily faced turn to the viewing public and sum up by fully agreeing with the verdict.

Walsh picks out race changing moments from the box with what one would expect from a successful ex rider but, and probably due to too much time the directors put aside for trashy features, it's not a full replay alongside what  no doubt would be an apologetic frontman, something may be we can be thankful for.

What is so galling about all of this is that terrestrial TV, had in Nick Luck, the most professional and capable front man since the days of Wilson and Brough Scott yet discarded him in place of the master of smugness, they have made the grave mistake of choosing to present the sport to the mainstream television audience, never mind some of the others deployed alongside him.

It really is head scratching finding a single area of racing presentation that has improved since the end of the 1980's. The paddock coverage is very good now but so too was it excellent when carried out by Lindley. There wasn't the close up roving camera following the horses around but paddocks were not chokker like they are now on big days so perhaps not essential.

Nowadays a camera from outside the paddock area would be hindered by the masses inside - syndicates along with all sorts. The day Frankel ran in the Juddmonte, God only knows on what grounds so many gained access - even when Sea The Stars won the same event a couple of years earlier the paddock had licence holders in completely unconnected with any of the runners, such as Richard Fahey.

Chamberlain’s absence from his place in front of the cameras in the so-called ‘ Sunday Series’ is neither here or there as this is pretty unwatchable anyway - hyped up in the main poor fare and we even now have new additions to racing speak, including ‘ Sunday horse', to describe an animal placed to thrive in these mundane events -oh to return to the days when the Dianne would have been the whole focus of last Sunday, having the stage to itself.

And in contrast to what was an all time low week to the coverage of one of the jewel in the crown fixtures of the sport, we were treated to first rate coverage of the US Open Golf, showing how top level sport should be covered without any dumbing down  - anyone genuinely fond of a particular sport will find themselves fascinated by professionals speaking to professionals using in house language. In golf we are served full and detailed analysis of golf swings. They don't say, let's taylor to suit the casual viewer and simplify it all, or are prompted by a colleague to translate if they do.

One had to accept that a fashion element has to be covered at Royal Ascot, which along with Prix De Dianne day at Chantilly are the two long standing traditional ladies days - the majority of others only sprouting from the late 1980's onwards with relatively low standing Warwick Oaks day one of the first of the rest to push on on this area.

But while it would be too much to hope for the frontman link up with lead fashion presenter to return to the Julian Wilson - Eve Pollard, mode, there was no need to axe James Sherwood who ironically was arguably the last fully speak the mind character to form part of a horse racing presenting team.

The only temporary respite last week came from the class action on track but overall the five days confirmed that there is no question now that most areas of this sport are right up Shit Creek and it's sadly far, far too late to do anything about it. 

From a time when horse racing was a truly major sport in the UK. A wonderful tune from the original artists  -  a cover version of which topped the charts. Glad to see it regularly on the set list of the current tour - a gig from which I've had the pleasure of attending. Two hours ten minutes on stage working out at less than £25 per half hour, and that's not including a quality support band beforehand. How long are the cheesey acts that form after race entertainment on stage for, and with the hiked up entrance fee how much do the 'racegoers' pay for the act.

NIL GROUNDS FOR OPTIMISM

It may have gone unnoticed by many as the days ticked down to Derby weekend, but arguably the most significant development in the racing world this week were the hard hitting, from the hip sentiments expressed by John Egan.

This is someone not burying his head in the sand and fully awake to the mess that UK horse racing had got itself into. Among his observations, Egan stated that felt sorry for his son in the sense that the young rider's promising career is going to evolve within a sport that increasingly lacks stability.

And his bleak views on the free for all fixture list are vindicated by glancing through the cards today. Look at Musselburgh for example -  decent prize money for racing that is basically underwhelming. 

The apprentice race has £25,000 added in prize money but almost half of the runners rated in the 60's. Admittedly there is a Listed race with £ 50,000 added but not a single runner fielded from a genuinely big name trainer.

While Irish racing is not free of pressing problems and perhaps an impending crisis too - the fixture list is better controlled and not head spinningly wall to wall. A similar event with the same level of prize money would be sure to attract  representatives from Ballydoyle, along with the other top Irish yards.

Although the Musselburgh cards have numbers, Egan was correct to highlight how the present UK fixture list affects the size and quality of the fields, with so many options for connections. Fields will begin to cut up more than ever before during the coming weeks and months. 

And there can never have been a time like this for lack of correlation between prize money and quality of animal. As an example, the five day entries for the concluding 4.40 at Haydock Park on Wednesday include three horses rated in the 90's, and a further seven rated 85 or over - the prize money, a pitiful £15,000 added. 

You can find numerous similar examples  which will become more prevalent. From August we will likewise have to bear the second staging of that ridiculous Racing League - the concept of retards. For a period of six weeks Saturday cards will have handicaps stripped of quality due to runners being diverted to the League, adding to the already depth lacking events due to the amount of racing.

No one wants mass job losses within the industry but the present system is unsustainable and planned trimming will have little effect - it needs tight control and the numbets cut in half. This will happen but not through planning, it will come when the whole stinking, greedy system collapses on itself.

Hopefully, what will be left will be a smaller industry but not one lacking too much in quality. One where you can get a grip on what is happening. One or two fixtures a day, a maximum of three on a Saturday. The five day entries would stir up interest and anticipation, fields with depth, numbers and quality. 

Of course,  this is only a best case scenario - the worst scenario would be a cut down to size industry but one were the quality too suffers too and cards similar to this coming Tuesday's card at Brighton commonplace - 3 x 0 - 50 's, 2 x 0- 55's and lo and behold a single 'classy' 0-60.

In reality though Brighton will be one of the venues that may go under in the near future. Most that fold will be predictable but there'll be a surprise or two as well.

Meanwhile, as for now, the courses will continue with their theme days, competing to pull in as many 'fans' as possible  with a business model built around hope of attendees who spend endlessly on overpriced drink and food. Unfortunately for most locations the crisis has already hit and crowd numbers are suffering - and this is without the further blow that will come when the Big Brother affordability checks on gambling are applied.

95 % of punters will rightly be shouting stuff off if asked by bookmaking firms to disclose copies of bank statements and presumably, rather than completely lose custom, firms will be forced by Government to impose a mandatory across the board monthly loss limit. 

With as little as £100 per month being mooted then racing will be crippled. Put it this way, £100 per month - are you going to be looking at cack run of the mill handicaps or save it for a Golf tournament, T - 20 cricket match, or even a Tennis tournament or Grand Prix. And what happens when the footy season starts again?

It's clear that it will be horse racing that will suffer. A shortfall in levy through punters, a shortfall in takings from drink and food spends on course. And this added to an already lack of engagement with the sport from the emerging generations. It's not good at all. It really isn't.

image taken from Wiki

This album was arguably a level below previous releases by this band but still listenable from start to finish. It went on sale the week before Troy won the Derby. Racing was in a very happy place at the time - a return to which will never happen again.