Prime Minister Keir Starmer seems happy to let Government destroy racing as our beloved sport plunges into crisis
“RECENT leaders at the BHA have failed you and British racing – I’m now here and am going to put that right”.
Wouldn’t that have been the rallying cry everyone wanted to hear from Brant Dunshea when he was announced the other day as interim CEO of the British Horse Racing Auhority?
Instead, we got the same old how amazing the last CEO has been, or to be factually correct, so those in charge don’t moan, the quote was: “Demonstrated great leadership in driving a significant series of reforms”.
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British racing is in crisis. On and off the field.
On the field can be solved if off the field is dealt with. But what happens on the track can’t change the challenges off it.
As most of you will be aware right now there is financial turmoil in the Sport of the Kings.
Following figures recently released by the Gambling Commission and adjusted for inflation, in the region of £3.2 billion has been wiped off online turnover since affordability checks came in.
That’s in the region of 25 per cent of betting turnover per year.
For years, sensible punters and commentators have been warning those in power that affordability checks and the funding of racing was in a catastrophic downward spiral that had the prospect of leading British racing into oblivion.
In the main, the powers that be have seemed to have taken the attitude that ‘it will all work out’.
But now, finally, the penny has dropped in all areas bar the sales ring where, for some reason few can fathom, people are spending ridiculous sums seemingly without knowledge of the carnage.
Affordability checks don’t work. If they did we would all see the sense. But they don’t.
They do nothing, zilch, to help those with addiction issues concerned with betting. Addiction is much more complicated than just stopping someone from having a bet.
What they will do, however is destroy an industry.
Since checks have been brought in, gambling harm has not been reduced.
Punters have merely been forced to find places on the Black Market to bet. Unregulated punting. The ultimate nightmare.
For some finding the Black Market would be tricky. It’s something that has to be done with skill. That’s because horse racing bettors are, in the main, skilled.
They may not all win. But they have an opinion on what they are betting on and spend time thinking about what they are doing.
It’s not like an online casino wheel where you close your eyes, press the button and pray.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer appears to quite like horse racing.
His wife, Victoria, was at the Eclipse at Sandown in July being seen for the first time in public since her husband won the election.
Both Sir Keir and Victoria came to Doncaster for the St Leger.
And yet Sir Keir seems perfectly happy for Government to destroy an industry which provides so many jobs, so much money for the Treasury and so much joy for so many people.
The King of the United Kingdom likes horse racing. The Queen of the United Kingdom loves horse racing.
Royal families, dignitaries and Government members from all around the world enjoy and take part in British Racing.
Some of the world’s richest people – and most significant celebrities – are fans of British horse racing and can often be seen at the likes of Royal Ascot and the Derby.
And yet. It appears impossible for anyone to sit down with the Prime Minister and sensibly discuss the destruction of an industry and the utter failure and pointlessness of current legislation.
Great leadership? You can only laugh.
Meanwhile, Flat jockey James McDonald was once again on the money on the international stage when steering Voyage Bubble and Romantic Warrior to victory in Hong Kong yesterday.
Neither ride needed McDonald to do anything scintillating. But in many ways that’s the key. McDonald makes it all look so simple.
They weren’t ‘great rides’. But they were faultless rides.
McDonald is not only arguably the number one jockey on the planet, he’s also a great man for quotes after a race.
He even managed to get a ‘fair dinkum’ into an interview.
Above all that, though, is just the utter joy that McDonald is from New Zealand.
Just think how unbearable life would be if the best jockey in Australia was Australian!
And finally… brilliance in a racehorse is one thing.
Bringing it to the table time and time again at a high level is another.
I’d take the latter over a flash in the pan horse all day long and we saw that over the weekend with not only Romantic Warrior but also Dubai Honour and Jonbon.
Dubai Honour chased home Giavellotto in the Hong Kong Vase. He’s just been a legend for William Haggas.
As well as Hong Kong, he’s been to the UK, Germany, France, Australia and Dubai in his career.
He’s now collected over £4million in prize money. Quite exceptional.
Tingle Creek winner Jonbon is in a similar vein. His 16 successes from 19 starts have seen the public warm to him and he’s now landed over £1m in cash.
When JP McManus bought him for £570,000 at Goffs UK in November 2020 most will have considered him bonkers to spend so much. He soon will have doubled his outlay.
Horses like Romantic Warrior, Dubai Honour and Jonbon are true legends of the turf.
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