A PAMPERED CATEGORY

The expansion in the National Hunt arena of events staged exclusively for mares has resulted in the opportunity for some performers to sit cosily in a niche and reap rewards that otherwise would not have been attaintable.

Lady Buttons has almost reached celebrity status within racing's confines. She has become something of a winning machine in these mares only races. Whether it is deserved is another matter, for some would point out that the females already have a carrot dangled in front of them in open events in the form of the 7 lb allowance, which was increased from 5 lb for the 2003/04  campaign.

Ten of the fifteen races won by Lady Buttons have been open only to the ladies, of which all seven of her victories in listed or graded company have also come in these confined events.

In her stiffest task in open company over hurdles she did not disgrace herself when fourth of the five runners in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, not beaten a million miles. And probably the most difficult task she faced over fences was when she started second favourite for the Maghull Novices Chase, ending up far from disgraced to finish fourth, less than nine lengths behind the winner.

But in the creme de la creme of mares only hurdle events she had her limitations exposed when finishing only fourth, which would have been one further down if the sublime Benie Des Dieux had not come down at the last when having the race in the bag.

What cannot be emphasised enough is that as well as being one of the chief benefactors of these pigeonhole events, her connections are also fortunate that she is trained on the right side of the Irish Sea for some of the mares she would have been coming up against every couple of weeks in Ireland would have made her life hell.

Whatever, she has put her trainer on the map which resulted in some animals costing eyecatching amounts being placed in the yard. Admittedly they have since moved on but adding to the exploits of Lady Buttons, they have made the name Phil Kirby a more familiar one than it previously had been.

Mind you, I would guess there are many envious souls around when they look at the success enjoyed by this popular mare and her connections. What about all those talented animals who have not been favoured by a positive discrimination policy, and have no niche to home in on ?

This mare friendly policy is reminiscent of some of the mandatory courses public sector workers have to attend. There was one I heard from the grapevine fronted by a lady who opined that when she sees a room full of white, middle aged men, she is disgusted. Oh yes, she made it clear, such a sight is bland, outdated and disgusting.

If she had found employment within the BHA, I'm sure she would have championed the expansion of mares only contests, and would equally have expressed disgust at seeing a handicap chase field full of geldings in the seven to nine year old age range.

The expansion of veterans only events has not yet reached the same scale as the mares races.  Hopefully we will not see one introduced at the Cheltenham Festival, though on second thoughts as they have chipped away enough at the quality of the individual races, what would it matter to take a couple of runners out of the old Ritz Chase.

The BHA has not finished this project yet despite there being a record number of female horses in training in the National Hunt sphere.

A mares only chase planned to be introduced at the 2021 festival is undoubtedly part of the bridge to a five day meeting. A tiring five day meeting as opposed to the original all quality, pulsating three days.

While there is plenty of ammunition to oppose the justness of these confined events, particularly at the higher level, it would be unfair to spin the myth about Dawn Run missing the Champion Hurdle if the mares race had been in existence in 1984 .They will cite the fact that she was ideally suited by further than two mile, had indeed finished runner up in a vintage renewal of the Sun Alliance Novice Hurdle when far from the finished article, and that taking the easy route by making it fairly certain she would be Queen of her own domain, would have been too tempting to turn down.

What people forget though is that Dawn Run was right at the forefront of the Champion Hurdle reckoning after battling on to repel the challenge of the reigning champion Gaye Brief in the Christmas Hurdle. There was nothing in that Champion Hurdle field that would have frightened off connections

Which path those connected with Flakey Dove would have taken in the same circumstances is open to debate. She looked a fair place prospect in an open renewal of her Champion Hurdle, but on the evidence of her victory in the Cleeve, the extra distance of the mares only race would have been tailored for her.

Nevertheless, the crux of the matter is that no particular category of horse should have the fixture list tailored to increase their chances of success. Indeed, Lady Buttons got a taste of what those animals who are exluded from niche events have to put up with, when finishing a commendable but well beaten second to Moon Over Germany in that highly competitive two mile handicap at Aintree.  I doubt the race will be on her schedule again this year, same with the even more fiercely fought race in the same category at the Cheltenham Festival.

Lady Buttons is now ten years old. Perhaps she will be retired to the paddocks when this campaign closes.  Many would say she would have retired from action earlier without the help of a friendly programme of races.

But it's not quite so clear cut. Dubacilla raced as a ten year old mare finishing second to Master Oats in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, followed directly by another gallant performance to chase home Royal Athlete in the Grand National. Eyecatcher finished third in two successive Grand Nationals in the 1970's at ten and eleven years of age. And the popular Credo's Daughter, owned by James Bolam, raced on until ten years of age during the same decade.

Anyone trying to make comparisons with the increase of top level fillies and mares flat races in this country cannot logically equate the two scenarios. The flat racing world is a bigger, richer place,and action was taken to stem the flow of those crossing the Atlantic on a one way permanent journey to take advantage of the plethora of valuable fillies and mares races, mostly less competitive than the equivalents in Europe.

Those opposing the continued expansion of valuable mares only events in the National Hunt arena stand on solid ground and if Benie Des Dieux takes the easy option and bolts up looking like she'd have taken all the beating in the Stayers Hurdle, then this is an issue that deserves to be debated on a higher platform.

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QUALITY WITHOUT NUMBERS

Much has been written about the concentration of quality animals in a small number of hands. It is an issue that began to be of concern in flat racing during the 1980's as the strength of the traditional owner breeder began to flounder, and the Maktoum family investment flourished.

What we could not foresee at that time was that one day the National Hunt arena too would be made up of a map dominated by a few pulsating power spots; two in Ireland , one in Lambourn, plus a cluster of them in the West Country.

The situation may alter soon in Ireland with Gordon Elliott soon to feel the Giginstown Stud wind down, as Joseph Patrick O'Brien's yard continues to strengthen.

Over here, things are likely to remain the same for the foreseeable future. The Northern jumping scene has never been so poor, the Skelton operation in the Midlands churns out winners but the overall quality shows no signs of stepping up  a further level, while a combination of Nichols, Tizzard and Hobbs lead the way for the West Country - a situation that could not have been predicted when Paul Nichols raced clear of the Pipes and seemed set to be a lone dominant force.

One trend that has changed down the last few decades, indeed something that can be argued that had made the sport less fascinating , is the need for trainers to play the numbers game. What has happened to the , " I can only give my best if I have a manageable number of horses in my care", words that are now only used as an excuse by those unable to attract more owners.

From that last list of trainers mentioned,  you tend to think of Colin Tizzard retaining a select, limited number of horses, when in reality the number of inmates has shot up to one hundred and twenty !

How times have changed. The West Country was for many years the weakest arm in the sport, with David Barons running the main  operation in the region. Going into 1979, Horses In Training listed Barons as having forty five animals under his care, with future Schweppes Gold Trophy winner Bootlaces, the name you are drawn to.

Indeed Bootlaces victory in that race was a big moment for a region that had been starved of big race success. One year later the Triumph Hurdle would be won by Baron Blakeney trained by M.C.Pipe, and by the time Barons had the best horse he would ever train in his yard in Playschool, followed a few years later by the Grand National winner Seagram, Pipe would be the dominant force in British racing.

Going back two years to 1977, the Lambourn scene was business as usual in jump racing's sphere, dominated by two legends of the sport in Fred Winter and Fulke Walwyn.

In contrast to now where the famous Berkshire village is dominated by Nicky Henderson's one hundred and fifty horse yard, Winter submitted a string of forty three horses for publication in Horses In Training ( in picture), while Walwyn had four more in his Saxon House yard. At the time a young Henderson was Winter's assistant in addition to being the stable's amateur rider.

Namewise, Winter housed an embarrassment of riches led by dual Champion  Hurdle winner Bula,  one time Champion Hurdle winner Lanzarote, one of the best chasers never to win a Cheltenham Gold Cup in Pendil, plus future Gold Cup winner Midnight Court. Not to be left out were the veteran of veterans Sonny Sommers, twice future Grand National placed Rough And Tumble, former and future Embassy Chase Final winners Floating Pound and The Dealer .

Bula was now twelve years of age with the chance now gone that he would go down as the immortal who would be the first horse to win both the Champion Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup. Sadly, he took a crashing fall in the Champion Chase that year, sustained a shoulder injury and had to be put down a few months later.

And if that wasn't enough bad luck for the Uplands yard, Lanzarote, when also attempting to be the first to win Cheltenham's two most famous races, was lost after breaking a leg in the Gold Cup.

Walwyn's stables housed an important cast member of the greatest hurdling era ever in Dramatist, the Champion American chaser Fort Devon, who would be in the Gold Cup picture for the next couple of years, along with two cracking two mile chasers owned by the Queen Mother, in Game Spirit and Isle of Man.

These were the days when delegation was used more sparingly, when a trainer would not need to ad lib or turn to a delegate when someone asked after the Cantab gelding purchased from the point to point field.

Nowadays, the most successful yards house numbers that would have seemed unmanageable back in the day. The consequence is that we are left with yards with assistants and head lads around every block you turn. And from what we are able to glean many are run in the same vain as Japanese owned car factories, with both animals and humans being numbers, spots or blobs on silly confusing wall charts.

It must be working for the most successful large yards, but it now seems pure nostalgia to think of a red skinned, weather beaten faced trainer with nicotine stained fingers, entering the box of every horse at evening stables, running a hand down the forelegs himself, and exchanging a few words with the lad who he would know by name instead of K39.

To demonstrate that the Winter and Walwyn yards weren't the exception to the rule in being highly successful yards while having what would now be considered smallish sized strings, it's worth looking at the numbers in some of the other jumping yards in 1977.

Neville Crump had a string of twenty two, which included quality performers Cancello, Narvik, Sparkies Choice, Collingwood, Even Melody and Ballet Lord. Fred Rimell had forty six horses listed under his care including the previous year's  Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National winners Royal Frolic and Rag Trade, Grand National regular The Pilgarlic, former duel Champion Hurdler Comedy of Errors, and not to forget Andy Pandy who would be tanking along in a clear lead in the Grand National when coming down second Bechers.

Tony Dickinson had just twenty nine listed, mostly recognisable quality sorts including the future King George V1 Chase hero Gay Spartan, and although Peter Easterby had seventy listed under his care, it was a dual purpose yard with only twenty two animals four years old or older. Amongst this select group were Night Nurse, Sea Pigeon and Alverton, supported by other quality jumping horses in Canadius, Annas Prince, Town Ship and Midao.

In fact the two largest jumping yards were the seventy something of G.W.Richards, and the ninety two of W.A.Stephenson. Both had around a dozen flat horses at the time but by today's standards the total numbers were not exceptionally large.

No matter what way you contrast the two eras, forty years apart, you would search long and hard to drum up a convincing case that today's scene, dominated by a few large  industrial winner churning factories, beats the days of old, where the most gifted trainers sought a select number of horses to enable them to operate with a fully concentrated hands on approach.

AT LEAST ONE THING TO BE THANKFUL FOR !

January 1980 does not seem forty years ago. Certainly for those who spend their life diligently studying the works of Shakespeare, or the history of the French Revolution, time will have stood still. No doubt many in racing circles would wish the clock had stopped ticking in their world too.

Looking through a copy of Pacemaker International for that month, the one with the front cover showing Night Nurse and Jonjo O'Neil in mid air over the water jump at Newbury in the Mandarin Chase, there did not seem to be an awful lot to be concerned about on racing's frontier.

In all the changes that have occurred in the past forty years, there was no inkling that the emerging generations would be raised in a world where betting on football would overall become their main focal point of having a punt, and that racing would fall into a shadow of future uncertainty. The prospect of this was never considered in any publication or context.

Indeed, the article that stirred you most went under a headline that would be fitting for January 2020. Written by Tom Forrest, and  titled , ' The Case Against The Whip ', it was a prophetic piece that highlighted a couple of pertinent issues that have since been addressed.

The first was the free for all whip actions permitted at the time. Forrest recalls the whip actions of two riders from his racing memories, the Frenchman Paul Blanc, along with the Aussie Des Lake. Evidently their styles were likened to ' Catherine Wheels' , 'Dervish dances' and ' windmills',  whip actions that, according to Forrest, observers would remember for the rest of their lives.

Little did the writer know that over the coming summer a certain Australian rider by the name of Peter Losh would be riding in Great Britain, displaying one of those Whirling Dervish whip actions the writer thought he would not see again.

He then made reference to the ' ferocity ' used by Lester Piggott on both Roberto and The Minstrel in forcing them across the line in their respective Epsom Derbys. These were races discussed regularly then whenever the whip issue was raised. Eventually, following criticism from some notable figures within the sport, as well outside forces,  rules were  introduced restricting the height the whip could be raised, ending those familiar Pat Eddery and Piggott motions, with the instrument being brought down from sky high.

The other issue that has since been resolved is that relating to the size and weight of the whip. Forrest refers to a picture in the December 1979 edition of the magazine showing Morston beating Cavo Doro in the 1973 Epsom Derby, where he describes the stick carried by the rider of the runner up as having enough, " springy fibreglass to satisfy the average Olympic pole-vaulter."

He suggests that in the end the solution would be to, " insist that the whip must be made of such weight and material that no matter how hard it is applied, the horse cannot be hurt."

To the credit of everyone involved, this is precisely what evolved, but what could not have been anticipated was that it would not close the book on the matter and that we would move on to an age where the racing authorities would pander to the public and would be more concerned with image than substance and factual evidence

Another article that catches the eye from the January 1980 edition of the magazine is one composed by Patricia Smyly under the title, ' The Climate for a Course of Action.'

At the time, the previous 1979/80 National Hunt season had seen the highest number of fixtures lost to the elements since the winter of 1963. The response was increased speculation on whether the prospect of  all- weather racing would become reality.

Smyly discussed the subject with Air Commodore Brookie Brooks, who at the time was the Chairman of the Racecourse Association. Brooks opined that he could not see jumping taking place on the all-weather. This would have been to the benefit of the sport if this prediction had been correct as from the top of the head the things that spring to mind about that short lived venture were silly looking obstacles with a blue stripe, an increase in fatalities, Suluk, and Martin Pipe's  Run For Free who would end up winning the Welsh and Scottish Nationals.

Brooks visualisation of how the all-weather would fit in to the flat programme was slightly of course too. He talked of a Stateside scenario where a course would house a couple of hundred horses in stables, and where the cards would be made up only from entrants housed within. He spoke of Windsor being suitably located for this initiative.

Brooks passed away in 1988, a year before the first all- weather meeting was staged and would no doubt have been surprised if he had known how this area of the sport would expand, something that polarises opinion as to whether it has proved to be to the benefit or detriment of the sport.

Finally, that January 1980 issue contained a contribution by Howard Wright titled,  'The Metrification of Racing ', a piece that made uneasy reading for those of us who had never really got to grips with what we considered as Napoleonic garbage.

Admittedly, we can work out that the Derby is 2400 metres but trying to convert height given in centimetres into feet and inches, even more confusingly pounds and ounces into kilograms, is something most born within a certain period could do without.

Wright's article highlighted the opposition to any change by the then senior Jockey Club handicapper David Swannel, on the glaringly common sense ground that the conversions would not be straightforward - one pound being half a kilo or 0.453 to be exact.

That metrification did not take hold in British racing is something we should be thankful for. And it therefore makes it all the more baffling why some commentators still persist to randomly talk of distances in metres. It's now an abandoned path.

And as we are leaving the EU, maybe the number of television channels will be reduced so instead of having the space to broadcast unamusing trash like Ant and Dec, Gavin and Stacey and Ben Elton, they will have to roll out quality shows at peak viewing time, like The Two Ronnies, Morecambe and Wise and Benny Hill.

And who knows, a return to the times when if a household had the telly on during a Saturday afternoon, there would be a one in three chance that they would be tuning into some horse racing. That would be good news !

image author Kmtextor - licensed under CC.

A WHOLE LOT OF FUN AND GAMES AWAIT

   

There can never have been a time when the general media in the UK have treated the sport of horse racing with such cold indifference as they do so now.

Whether it be the amount of space apportioned for racecards and articles in the daily newspapers in relation to the other sports, or whether it be the carelessly prepared newspieces on general sports programmes, it is pretty clear that the game is treated with scant regard.

Late on Boxing Day afternoon, Sky News showed a few, sewn together seconds of the King George V1 Chase, with the narrative giving a general viewer the impression that the destination of the prize may have been changed when Clan Des Obeaux jumped across Cyrname three fences from home. The fact that Sky Racing don't cover Kempton should surely not preclude the news desk asking one of the Sky Racing team to pen the script for them.

As bought by the hand newspaper sales decline across the board, with the young adult populations choosing which news items to search for online, horse racing will be one of the big losers. For unlike with printed copy where an article connected with one of the sports that have not waned might be on the opposite page to a racecard that cannot avoid the eye, the new generations can happily exist while being oblivious to the sport.

As an example, this past week they would have searched and found the football related news on their tablets and phones, maybe the cricket and rugby too. But what else ? A group having a chat would be unlikely to encourage the others to look up a story about the King George unless it was connected with the Alex Ferguson link. But undoubtedly, they would have been enthusing over the progress made by Fallon Sherrock in the World Darts Championships.

It blew any racing related story out of the water, but was still secondary to the likes of football and cricket news, but not by far.

There are time windows in which racing should really make a push to get through to the passive. International breaks in the football season form such opportunities as the popularity of international football in the UK compared to the Premiership - even the Championship - has rarely been so far behind.

Boxing Day 2019 was another opportunity begging to be taken advantage of. Amazon had full rights to the Premiership Football on one of it's traditionally anticipated days, yet the multitudes already paying Sky and BT would not have been prepared to add in the expense of yet another pay channel, or have even have been bothered to take up the trial and cancel offer if they knew that one was available.

So it was left to horse racing, on one of it's showcase days staging one of the showcase races of the season, to make a concerted effort to draw in viewers. With the cricket winding up just as the racing was beginning and the darts not restarting until the following day, horse racing had the stage to itself yet it did little to advertise itself. There wasn't even an Opening Show !

As the curtains are drawn on a year and a decade, racing has never since WW2 had so many uncertainties hanging over it. As the 1970's reached its conclusion, it would not be taking a stab in the dark to make predictions for the following ten years, with many foreseeing a rapid expansion of international competition.

Now you struggle to predict what will happen in a timespan of a single year such is the variability of how horse racing issues disrupt, destabalise and instill worry amongst the many different factions, some deeply involved in the sport but at loggerheads with one another, others wanting to gatecrash and do harm with their blinkered, beatnik beliefs.

One of the pressing issues where the aggrieved tend to skirt their preferred solution is what we are told is the lack of prize money in the middle to lower ranks. Most of the owners, seconded by the trainers, who claim that they deserve more reward for playing their part in keeping the bread and butter everyday fare going, want what they see as a shortfall to come from punters.

As this is not realistically going to involve bookmakers taking a further cut in what they feel are decreasing  profit margins, these owners would like it to come direct from the punter via a levy on every bet placed. A return to a tax on stake, or taken from winnings.

For racing fans, the only benefit from the colossal rise in betting on other sports is that they cannot be taken for granted anymore. A levy on each racing bet incurred by the punter ?  No problem, plenty of fish in the sea regarding sports to bet on. Stuff you racing !

Owning horses outright or in small number partnerships is a privelige, a costly one for most who will get little if any return for their outlay and continued monthly expense bar the excitement of being a player with a horse running in their name and colours. If they don't consider the expense to be worth it then no one is forcing them to be involved.

Course closures on a scale not previously seen, the end of the high street betting office, job losses, trainers handing in licences, jockeys handing in licences and the whole breeding and racing industries downsizing. Not the most insane set of predictions by a long chalk.

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TAKING A LEAF FROM THE MOVIE WORLD

One of the downsides of the knowledge at beckoning internet age is that it has decimated the old fashioned chinwag when those involved discuss their shared favourite subject, with the detail and supporting evidence for a particular view proudly recalled from memory alone.

When the subject matter is horse racing, it is only really pre 1980's that embedded knowledge is used alone, for eras since can be referenced very quickly by Google search. Particularly since the late 1980's, from at which point the online Racing Post form book is available, the spoiler of most quizzes.

In fact anyone setting an online quiz has to ensure that the questions put cannot be found at the touch of a button. Some will tell you that researching on the internet is really no different than visiting a dusty storeroom containing old newspapers and books, and while specialist research does bring the two methods closer together, it  just doesn't feel the same, with the newer, more clinical method, lacking the kudos attached to the now less needed traditional form.

It is why we enjoy listening or reading people reminiscing over an era not as meticulously recorded as the present. Some of it may just be conjecture, rumour, with details dressed up for effect, or in some cases maybe not. It's up to the listener or reader to judge.

I love to hear and read about Crepello. We are told that this is the animal that highlighted best, the genius of Noel Murless. Nevertheless, when you get down to the nitty gritty of the colt's performances, you cannot sum him up as being anything near outstanding unless you make provisions for his fragile pegs,

In contrast, it is disconcerting when you hear some fans talk of a need for past greats to be reassessed. They will cynically point out that if both the Timeform ratings of Arkle and Flyingbolt were anything near accurate, then it must of been a miracle that they were in the same yard at the same time.

They will then add that while they will accept that Arkle was very likely the best steeplechaser there has ever been, his rating is still exagerated and should be downsized.

Those of us too young at the time to have memories of Arkle may be able to understand how those who witnessed his career feel when we read similar views about how the ratings of Night Nurse and Monksfield are too high.

These people will champion the Istabraq age, when the ranks were weak and the dominant force was followed home in his Champion Hurdle victories by his run of the the mill stable companion Theatreworld twice, and Hor La Loi on the other occasion.

By contrast, Night Nurse and Monksfield were properly tested on regular occasions during the greatest hurdling era ever. There was no adding a subjective amount of pounds on for ease of victory over opponents a couple of tiers lower; their ratings will be as accurate as can possibly be.

Returning to the issue of the internet spoiling raw, recall chatter. There is no turning back so we'll have to live with it. It does indeed have many strengths and in truth far more positives than negatives.

But one facility that horse racing does not have is an equivalent to the IMDb database. Some us cannot now watch an old movie, series  or sitcom, without a tablet on the knee opened on the IMDb site.

There is no need anymore for your enjoyment of a programme to be disturbed because you are racking your brains trying to remember what programme you have seen a familiar looking actor or actress in. Or maybe you are just curious to know what became of them, or whether they have passed away, or the film locations used.

The other night I was watching, for the umpteenth time, an early Columbo episode called Murder By The Book. It's the one in a which a character played by David Cassidy's dad murders his co- writing partner who wants to go it alons as a sole writer.

In the episode, a goofy looking lady with a distinctive voice had sussed out what had happened. She too is then murdered by Jack Cassidy after attempting to blackmail him.

With IMDb at the ready, I discovered that the actress who played the unfortunate goofy woman was in real life called Barbara Colby(pictured). In 1975, she and a fellow actor were in a car park in Los Angeles, having just left an acting academy, when they were both shot dead in cold blood. No motive has ever been established in the many years that have since passed and it remains an open,unsolved case, stranger than and just as intriguing as most Columbo episodes.

A horse racing IMDb equivalent would be welcome. It could be based around the results of all of the top grade races worldwide, and with a similar approximate one hundred year history at least. The cross referencing facilities would have links to all of the jockeys, owners and trainers involved, in addition to the horses and their sires and dams.

The links would be  more than just stats and figures; in the IMDb spirit they would be to biographies, the depth of which depending on the level of success of the subject, or whether there are titbits of note.

It is the modern way of gathering knowledge and for those in favour of so called ' keeping up with the times ', yet who champion some of the stupidest innovations, then something what would be an addition, that may help consolidate interest amongst new fans, and would not be objected too, would surely be worth setting up

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NO SIGN OF THE DEPRESSING TREND BEING REVERSED

The crumbling structures hidden beneath racing's grandstand are spread far and wide. You need to search for them but they are there, nuts and bolts visibly coming loose, if you care to look deep enough.

Germany has never been a major racing country. It has nevertheless always punched above its weight for the quality of horse produced in relation to the relatively small number of animals in training. It is likewise a nation that has had an impact on the equine breeding scene, with stallions having to fit certain rules to prove ability and soundness to be allowed to stand. Many successful pedigree lines have a German influence, including the bottom line of the pedigree of the best current progenitor in the world, Galileo.

On the betting front, it had aways been easy to find access to British, Irish and French racing in high street outlets. In fact, during the 1990's the Racing Post carried a piece from a writer reporting his visit to a Ladbrokes shop in Munich. He was impressed by the enthusiasm of the inhabitants chatting about the likes of Martin Pipes best chances at the forthcoming Cheltenham Festival.

The 1990's seems only yesterday but by God things have changed dramatically. You won't find any Ladbrokes offices in Germany anymore. In fact, if you are over there and try logging into any of your UK betting accounts you'll find that you are unable to put bets on racing back home. You are fine for UK football or other sports, but not the horses.

This is born from legislation taken to protect revenue from betting on racing and to ensure a cut is taken by the state. If you wish to get stuck into the novice hurdle at Hexham you will have to seek out an outlet with a licence to take bets on foreign racing but sadly many have disappeared, or show no racing at all.

One well known LBO has lately gone under. It was the shop (in picture) close to the main station in Cologne. It would show all the UK and Irish racing, even the UK greyhounds. I'd nickname it the ' Trabolgan shop' , as I once remember going in and being dismayed at the headline on the front of the Racing Post, announcing that the fast progressing Nicky Henderson trained gelding had sustained an injury and would be on the sidelines for a long period. I also watched Sea The Stars's Eclipse from there.

The last time I visited the shop it had followed the pattern of the UK shops by installing several FOBTS. Sadly, the premises where the shop stood is now a jewellers.

Close to the main station in rival city Dusseldorf lies a plush Bet300 shop. Inside a plethora of sports are available to wager on. Football at all levels in all corners of the world, basketball, ice hockey, tennis, handball, snooker, boxing, baseball, American football, and others too, but no horse racing.

 If you go deep into the shop you enter a cinema type complex, massive super HD screens, and a seating area in the centre reserved  for  ' members only '. It is generally depressing to think that many get entertainment from entering a shop with screens showing in play live scores and place a bet on the likes of Mauritian second division football, no matter how seducing the facilities are.

Further on into Graf Adolf Strasse, I entered a Tipico shop. Some Tipico shops show British, Irish and French racing, this particular outlet did not, nor did the one down in the Altstadt. Just general sports. There was approximately half a dozen customers in each shop, most sat there watching the scores for the low grade in play football matches. Very, very depressing.

There was one particular LBO I needed to visit. Situated at Karl Rudolph Strasse 167, it had been an old fashioned betting office run by a firm called KG the last time I visited it a couple of years back. Then, they had a Racing Post on the wall, had live British, Irish and French racing, and there was even a customer wearing jodpurs and riding boots ! This area of course forms part of which may be termed as the heartland of German racing.

On a side note, Karl Rudolph Strasse is a continuation of Ostrasse, the scene of an incident engraved in Dusseldorf folklaw.

On Wednesday 6th September 1978, Baader Meinhof gang member Willy Peter Stoll walked into the Shanghai Restaurant which was situated at Ostrasse 156, sat down, then ordered a Chinese meal and a beer. Stoll was on the most wanted list; he had played a leading role in the kidnapping and subsequent murder of Hans Martin Schleyer in Cologne the previous year, where he was one of the gunmen who murdered Schleyer's bodyguards as the industrialist was snatched.

Stoll was instantly recognised by some in the restaurant. As the group had support amongst many far left leaning members of the public, not all who recognised him would be prepared to inform the police. However, one lady popping in for a takeaway was having none of it and immediately went back out and raised the alarm.

A single police officer entered the restaurant, Stoll stood up and went to draw his pistol but the policeman was quicker and shot Stoll dead. Reports of the incident appeared in newspapers world wide; perhaps the most curtly put description was one I found in the archives from a Canadian newspaper.

It showed a picture of Stoll with the the caption, " Willy Peter Stoll - too slow on the draw."

Returning to the nearby LBO; to my initial dismay, the shop had also been taken over by Tipico. But on entering spirits were lifted on finding that they had Racing TV and Sky Racing, in addition to the French racing channel. Strangely enough, although they had cards on the wall for Cagnes du Ser and the French trotting, they had no Racing Posts, and only basic cards for the British racing without any form or tips.

Leicester, Lingfield and Hexham were on, and they had the sound, plus the Racing TV and Sky Racing post race summaries, including the odd interview, such as Matt Chapmans with Danny Cook whose ride he'd been eulogising over. The French racing channel was shown without audio. Throughout the afternoon there was never more than eight or nine punters present, with roughly five or six of them betting constantly on the UK racing.

One pertinent point is that those betting on the British racing were all at the very least over fifty years of age and appeared to be ethnic German. This is a strict pattern I have noticed in betting offices up and down this country and must stem from the fact that this age group would have been introduced to betting when a multitude of LBO's existed, all showing UK and Irish racing, along with UK greyhound racing.

I have also noted that the ethnic minorities amongst the population, such as those from Turkish and African roots, tend to stick to football betting and you rarely see them in the offices where racing is the main fare.

One cannot help wondering how shops such as the aforementioned one in Karl Rudolph Strasse can sustain themselves, having to pay for British and French racing chanels with so few numbers inside and betting.

I would not be surprised if the days of showing British, Irish and French racing in German high street betting offices are numbered. And being left with no option than watching screens showing updated football, tennis, ice hockey and basketball scores, as opposed to a Carlisle novice chase, is such a soul destroying prospect to consider that I think I'd rather visit Baader Meinhof locations than have a bet !

image - taken by author

BE VERY CONCERNED

We know that away from a handful of showcase fixtures the French racetracks pull in a mere trickle of racegoers, but  you were still left a little downbeat to hear Joffrey Huet failing to provide any encouragement that things would change anytime soon when interviewed at Auteuil for Attheraces on Sunday.

The present health of French racing was not the intended subject of the interview. It was on discussing his role in purchasing Cyrname for his current connections, Huet spoke of the lack of atmosphere at the Gallic tracks compared with the British ones.

It doesn't seem anything like the twenty years ago that John Hammond, lapping up the plaudits of the racing media for his exploits with the brilliant Montjieu, observed that the horse would hardly be known in France as it's all about cyclists and football players.

This is something we should be worried about. European racing is still arguably the best in the world and when one of the three nations that dominate it operate in half empty and silent arenas, you cannot view it as a dilemma independent from the others.

Some say that the Parisian tracks have suffered right from the beginning of the long established custom for the masses to travel out to the provinces for relaxing weekends. Even if any truth exists in this it cannot be cited as the reason for present day lack of engagement with the sport.

What seems more likely is that similar to Britain, the emerging generations in France are smitten with the in vogue sports that you are likely to find reference to within a few minutes of switching on the television. Therefore you would expect, like here, betting on horses would be in a steady, continuous decline.

But surprisingly, for the time being at least, this is not the case. Pari Mutuel betting on horses has made a small recovery. Whether in the long term this will prove to be a blip, no one really knows. It is certainly hard to believe that there is an emerging generation of the French populace that are endearing themselves to wagering on the racing game in greater numbers than the one before.

Returning to last weekend, the Altior v Cyrname clash was stirred up by sections of the media as something that was reaching out and touching those outside of racing's fanbase. Such nonsense is spouted without any supporting evidence whatsoever.

This is not to downplay the build up to the duel,which did not disappoint. But the fascination was for those in the racing domain. In the present day of hundreds of channels TV, X Boxes and Internet, the racing game can sail along on the horizon, out of sight and mind.

Compare this to to  an eagerly awaited steeplechasing clash from yesteryear.  Boxing Day 1975, Captain Christy v Bula  in  the King George V1Chase.

From the yard of Arkle's rider Pat Taafe, Captain Christy had triumphed in the 1974 Cheltenham Gold Cup while still a novice, then had consolidated his status by winning the Kempton race at the end of that year. He had formerly been a classy hurdler, good enough to finish third in the Champion Hurdle.

Bula had been out of the top drawer over hurdles, taking the Cheltenham crown twice. He was now promising to become the first horse ever to win both the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup. He had been third to his inferior Ten Up in the latter earlier that year when disadvantaged by the quagmire underfoot, so bad that the remaining races had to be abandoned.

There was another angle to the 1975 King George Chase. Bula hailed from the powerhouse yard of Fred Winter. In the 1974 running Captain Christy had prevented one of the most popular chasers of any era, Bula's stable companion Pendil, from completing a King George hatrick.

The countdown to the race had spacious write ups in the Sunday newspapers five days earlier. This was when the sport was afforded more prominence and everyone under a roof read a Sunday newspaper.

Tom Forrest wrote, " Never before have they clashed without something going haywire for one, or both of them. This time, their latest races show both in blinding form. Now we should know which is the master."

A field of seven lined up but but the expected duel materialised into a rout with Captain Christy, under the relatively inexperienced Gerry Newman, jumping off on front, building up an early advantage, then drawing further away from halfway to beat his main rival by thirty lengths, with the future winner Royal Marshall 11, in third.

Irrespective what we are told by the broadcasting media, who don't seem to understand that repeating spin will not turn it into reality, these showcase  events do not have anything near the same percentage of the population counting the days down as in generations past.

Moreover, despite the achievements of the wonderful mare Enable over the past few seasons, none of her races, and not even those of the supreme Frankel, had the same build up as the days drew nearer than that Nashwan v Indian Skimmer v Warning, Eclipse in 1989.

In the following few years after that race took place, sports betting exploded outwards, changing the whole betting scene, with racing 's dominance being eaten away at to the point were the emerging generations can bet without it.

France may for now, have managed to halt this downward spiral but betting on horses on the other side of the channel had never been on comparable levels to here, thus believing the decline can stemmed here is stretching hopes.

It is also worth noting that Japan's signature race, the Japan Cup, pulled in a crowd  of approximately 80,000 last week. Sounds fantastic, but when you compare it with the 180,000 that turned up in the flesh in relatively recent times, then it is an issue for concern.

What can be said with near certainty, is that since the end of WW2 the worldwide racing scene has never had so many dark clouds forming in the backdrop as it does right now.

Image from Pixabay