TWO SPORTS ON SEPARATE PATHS SO FAR APART

Racing has fallen behind other sectors of the entertainment on several fronts - one is the handling of attendees and the rules prescribed for what is permissible and what reasonably breaches accepted codes of conduct.

Drawing comparisons with how a European Tour come D.P World Tour golf event is managed compared to a modern day race meeting is comparing chalk with cheese, such is the gulf in how the staff keep the show ticking over.

The difference is a stark one. I attended the Cazoo Classic at the delightful Hillside last week end, visiting on the Thursday and Sunday. The field did not quite boast the depth of the 2019 tournament staged at the venue but for those who would enjoy following around hardy European Tour regulars, some with struggling profiles, it was a gratifying experience, for a most reasonable cost of £20 for the opening day and £25 for the concluding day.

A notable aspect concerned the professionalism of the staff and volunteers, who all appeared to relish carrying out their tasks, completely opposite to the miserable sods that the racecourses somehow have a habit of employing.

And make no mistake, those staffing golf courses are busy throughout the whole day, opening and closing crossings as play develops, having to divert spectators from walking into line of sight spots, or are inadvertently crossing fairways that are in play or even following playing groups in the in play areas, all easily done in error -  the shepherding is applied in a firm when needed but friendly humorous manner by staff who are themselves golfing buffs.

The rules don't allow alcohol or picnic hampers to be brought in - understandable in the sense that an in play ball could fall literally anywhere out on the course requiring crowds to be moved aside speedily. But the common sense applied all round is something which racecourses could and should learn from.

On the Sunday I arrived with a soft cloth Puma shoulder bag containing a bottle of water, a banana and chicken cobs. I was waved through the baggage checking area, as it was clear I was not carrying a hamper and unlikely to have booze in my possession.

A refreshing change from being asked to show the contents of my pockets and told that even small home sandwiches could not be brought in by racecourse staff who without resorting to a Thesaurus, I am unable to find a more accurate alternative than ' arseholes' to describe them.

The pricing of drink and food was notably lower than for an Open Championship, which do admittedly and shamefully charge top dollar but in general the price of a pint around was  £1.50 lower than that charged at the Aintree Grand National fixture, though as I am always on the move (over eight miles on my Steps App) boozing was not the purpose of the day - just two alcoholic drinks all day on each day,

Trying to look for an area to allow racecourses some leeway in the debate is a difficult one other than the attendees at a racing event are now a different breed to times past. Back in the 1970's it was a common sight at the likes of Haydock Park on a Saturday to have large groups arriving in charabangs carrying in large amounts of the likes of Tetley, Skol, and Double Diamond into the venue, and finding a speck for the consignment on the steps in the stand - however, in addition to the daily newspapers they'd  have at least one Sporting Chronicle and Sporting Life amongst them.They were racing fans and they behaved as such.

Nowadays the large parties who alight from the coaches are generally almost all lukewarm to the sport, with the conversation being more Callum Wilson than Callum Shepherd, and players in the injury list taking more attention up than non runners.

I find that those attending modern day golf tournaments are extremely passionate and knowledgeable over their sport. It's something that the dwindling number of modern day racing fans should be envious over. In fact, it dawned on me that the present day Golf course spectators were in general similar to those who attended racecourses fifty or more years ago, such is how they conduct themselves along with the enthusiasm shown towards the sport on offer.

And how enjoyable it is to dip in and out of the various groups in play and watch the many characters going about their profession......... a lowly ranked Portuguese contestant having a mare on Thursday, missing fairways alternately left and right, going into bunkers, but greeting with a hand slap a probable relative following his group around.....an Englishman commentating  aloud on his shots to few friends or relatives tracking him around........a South African character who has definitely increased his waste size since I last saw him, both he and his caddy look to have addictive natures, regularly puffing away on vaping pipes..... an Italian regular who the last time he played I'd overheard him ask his caddy on one of the early holes if the passing train went to Chester, not something you could predict would enter the conversation with a thousand guesses and certainly not something that you'd find incorporated into a player/caddy conversation in one of those computer golfing games..... hardy local veterans locals attracting plenty of good mannered encouragement......a Frenchman constantly bearing a most angry expression on his face.... a  fellow countryman of his prone to angry let it all go self critical outbursts......while anothe, Julien Guerrier,  maybe should have let off some steam as he bottled his emotions while in the process of going into meltdown and throwing away a semingly unassailable lead with only half a dozen holes left, and while the Scotsman Richie Ramsay received slightly more vocal encouragement as he closed down the leader, the faltering leader was given hearty respectful, enthusiastic support..... 

It's now too late too put mechanisms into place that would return racecourses into locations for racing fans. The change that began to take hold the early 1990's is now too far gone which is why in desperation. gimmicky events are introduced by those with no real understanding of the real appeals of the game. 

Golfing crowds are a mirror of how racing spectators existed in the past, passionate fans coming along to immerse themselves in something they understand and relish. It's a sport that ticks all the boxes with regard to the future, environment friendly, no animals involved, reaching to all corners of the globe.......as for the present state of UK horse racing, well, in three words, it's in bits.

A track from a strong throughout album and one of Bowie's best. And as usual, returning to a time when racing in the UK stood high on the podium along the other truly major sports

A CRISIS INTENSIFYING

The once unthinkable is now becoming a distinct possibility. The uprooting of horse racing from the UK , possibly Ireland and France too, with the show relocating in the Middle East, shared predominantly between Saudi Arabia and Dubai. 

Saudi Arabia is now pressing the pedal on wanting a bigger portion of the top level sporting scene. Money is no object as demonstrated by the offer to Ronaldo, and more so by the setting up of the LIV Golf tour which has already pulled in household names and will only be able to be resisted by the remaining cream at the top of the game for a limited period- you can sense it in how opinions of those showcase players not yet involved are already being delicately rephrased as they look further into the future and size up their plans.

With UK racing being cash strapped, how many will be able to resist offers to relocate? Quality animals are being hoovered up at a rate higher than ever before and earlier in their careers than ever before. The temptation to cash in in such rocky times must be close to irresistible for many. If the rumoured Middle East plans come reality, it won’t just be the horses that go - it will be trainers and riders and it will be on a permanent basis - unlike the long established working winter holidays in the likes of Hong Kong and India.

Let's imagine for example Tom Dascombe receives an offer to relocate with the assurance that he'll have good quality animals to train and that he'll be getting his foot in and established before the avalanche truly begins with bigger and bigger names following.

Here is a trainer who originally had a most progressive profile training from Lambourn who made a questionable decision to move to an unfashionable part of the country as a part salaried part private trainer. And this is not being wise after the event - it raised many eyebrows at the time as his name kept cropping up as one who was on the cusp of attracting patronage from some of the games biggest owners.

One can only guess how things would have developed if Dascombe had stayed put but it would be more than reasonable to suggest that at the very least he would have equalled the success achieved at Manor House and without the shadow of worry always lurking in the background that a single person possessed the power to return him back to the very beginning.

Make no mistake, Dascombe is now a prime candidate for such an approach. And what of Marcus Tregonning who it seems only yesterday that he was training the winner of the Epsom Derby and had a large string of mainly Shadwell bluebloods in his care.Very much a candidate likely to be approached as too would be Peter Chapple-Hyam, who has a remarkable CV always being able to justify those spells he had when given quality stock.

In fact, you could quickly build an endless list because once the trickle began you would never say never about any licence holder. And there is a big difference as to how a sudden, large scale racing expansion in the Middle East would play out compared to what we'll see happening with the on the road LIV tour.

With racing the numbers are near unlimited - at least for the first few years because the quicker the fixture list is expanded and populated the more horses and personnel are needed, and vice versa. With LIV, those middling golfers who have signed up will find themselves with an increasing number of limited opportunities as more of the bigger names join the tour - though no doubt they've already worked this out and figured that if would still financially work out as the better move.

With these scenarios more than just fanciful it makes you wonder what will be left of the present racing scene. With this in mind it must be noted that if as is possible, Irish racing goes into a critical state, Coolmore will be prepared to react to limit the downside.

Rather than becoming involved with a Middle Eastern plan it's far more likely that the core of the Irish operation would be transferred and split between the States and Australia where that already have thriving, firmly established breeding operations. The move could be achieved pretty smoothly in a relatively short space of time.

But returning to what would be left - well, the worst case scenario would be a wilderness of mediocrity. It's not something that would be relished. Exposure of the sport would fall with a lack of both equine and human stars to tickle the interest of the emerging generations. 

Many are now making somber predictions that racing in the UK is following the path to nowhere that its once great contemporary, Greyhound racing, trod down some years back - yes, it still exists in the background on a reduced scale but is barely discussed. How many would be able to name this year's Greyhound Derby winner, or even where the once great race is now held?

Here was a sport which although was always going to be unable to maintain it's heady numbers of racegoers that attended at the peak in the demobbing period after WW2, it appeared a given that it would  reset at a prominent level. Even in the relatively recent 1980's it was overall a very popular sport with the likes of the incredible stayer Scurlogue Champ, the truly class act Ballyregan Bob, making themselves known icons outside of the  sport. The same decade also boasted a wonderful Derby winner in Whisper Wishes. 

Admittedl there were concerns for the future of the sport but no one seriously imagined it could fall off the edge of the cliff. It's a reality check of what may be around the corner for racing and that a blase wave of the  arms is a dangerous attitude to adopt because unlike the canine sport, there are plenty of interested parties in other parts of the globe who will assist in its dismantling, even if not intentional.

A great cover version of a Motown hit from an album released during the year that Sea Bird 11 took the racing world by storm. Very soon, delving into the past will be the only enjoyable hobby left for rzcing fans, so woeful the game will have become.

YET ANOTHER AVOIDABLE COG IN THE WHEEL

UK Racing is beset by so many pressing issues of concern that the planned restrictive whip regulations that are now almost certain to be introduced have come without the open public pre amble in the press that would at one time have taken place.

Getting to the heart of the issue is the unpalatable fact that this is all about image. In fact since the now established air cushioned whips were introduced all whip regulations are solely a move to make things cleaner on the eye for the spectator - particularly those looking in indifferently or viewers with just a passing interest in the sport.

Many years have passed since riders were permitted to freely rain down sky high ariel strikes Eddery and Piggott style, though with the present design of whips we could return to those days with those that don't like it just having to learn that today's modern instruments applied to the hind quarters won't be causing any pain to an eighty stone beast.

With the present crop of riders riders learning their profession knowing they can't resort to habitual above shoulder high strikes (just two such strikes resulting in a minimum two days suspension) a return to such days would be unnecessary but the aforementioned two legends would only resort to this ultra aggressive looking style if they were receiving a response from beneath - for they were equally at home gently coaxing one home.

And by comparison however fierce the images may have looked, there were riders in Australasia who were far more carefree with their whip use. Mal Johnston, rider of the legendary Kingston Town, was notorious for his enthusiastic use of the stick. He was over in the UK on a working holiday in 1977 and rode Royal Palace's half brother Owen Jones to victory for Henry Cecil in that valuable three year old handicap run at Haydock in May under various different names down the years.

Then there was Philip Losh who rode in the UK for a short period over forty years back, noted for a Mick Channon style windmill action with his whip. One thing the new rules will at least ensure is that diversity in this area will be non existent. 

If truth be told, racing's rulers have for many years now been willing for matters involving the whip to be discussed in the open. For the cynical amongst us we can see, even if not by design, how this suits a purpose by consolidating the long held belief of the general public that this is the chief  'welfare' issue within the sport and that by addressing it they are making the game appear more animal friendly while at the same time sweeping the real and disturbing wastage issue under the carpet.

The PJA website has a detailed section on whip use, and what is considered acceptable. Some of it borders on comical such as rule 3 of the guidance of what rider's should consider. The rule advises that they should be " showing the horse the whip and giving it time to respond before using it", a sentence suggesting that the whip is a weapon that instills fears and is one that needs rephrasing.

It's also one thing handing out fines or suspensions to riders for breaching whip regulations, but the proposed disqualifications would be taking things over the edge, particularly if raceday stewards were given this power.

The present rules regarding the category of riding offence required for raceday disqualification are in many ways beneficial for the sport. More certainty for the punters, less time taken over deliberations, and much more preferable to the days when horses winning on merit then losing them in the Stewards room were much more common place.

While these rules spark controversy in that they attract an army of critics on the basis they embrace a ' win at all costs'  mentality, increasing the danger to both horse and rider, they had no bearing on the highest profile riding incident in recent times, resulting in life changing injuries to Freddy Tylicki. It will always remain a highly dangerous sport.

It would be most unwelcome for horses to lose races on the day from so called whip offences and in a time that racing needs punters to bet on it more than ever before with more alternative sports to bet on than ever before, it would be unwise to go down this path.

In many ways it's a great shame that this area of the sport along with multiple other areas of critical concern  temper what normally would have been reasons to digest and enjoy a so far enjoyable Flat season at a time when the actual racing needs as much positive publicity as possible.

The first four English classics falling to four unconnected sets of owning connections, four different trainers and four different sires. This added to a relative good spread of where the prizes have fallen - at least when compared to the last two decades overall.

Admittedly this unfortunately is unlikely to become a permanent escape from the two and three party domination of modern day UK Flat racing and of course it's nothing as varied as the fields assembled for typical top level events in the 1970's and early years of the 1980's, but it has been an unexpected and welcoming development.

But alas it's in the main been passing by unnoticed and is no more than a backdrop to the head spinning mess that has gripped the sport with these new needless whip use recomendations yet another addition to the swirl.

A great cover version from a legendary band and a track Daltrey has on his set list on his present tour. And of course from a time when racing was in a much better place.