SD's Racing Ramble: A 20-point common sense plan to rejuvenate racing

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It’s of little doubt that we have the greatest sport in the world but every so often racing shoots itself in the foot. The reality of the trainers situation, which thankfully relented on Tuesday evening, is a total lack of common sense, and so easy to change. Just don’t bloody bother. 

Let’s therefore list twenty other absurdities with common sense solutions for the common good:

 1.⁠ ⁠Race times can’t be moved from declaration stage. Why? Today (Wednesday) we have no UK racing in the afternoon – just move it up to 24 hours before.

 2.⁠ ⁠Racecourse silver rings are closed or don’t exist. A day out at the races for a family of 4 is often £60. Just open them, let young folk in and have a good time.

 3.⁠ ⁠Premierisation hits the smaller tracks disproportionately; shunting well-attended meetings in to the abyss. It favours the levy only. It was fine how it was.

 4.⁠ ⁠Whether it be picnic benches at Cartmel or the open course at Chester being eroded racecourses are charging ridiculous prices for small areas. Just stop.

 5.⁠ ⁠In 2014, the Racing Post in print cost £2.40 in the week. It’s now £4.90. And we don’t have Alastair Down (sadly), George Ennor, Geoff Lester or David Ashforth any more. Try reducing the price.

 6.⁠ ⁠The inability of most racecourse bookmakers to pay 1/4 in a 16-runner handicap just irritates the punters and drives them online. Pay standard terms. Nine times out of ten, the terms of a race favour them.

 7.⁠ ⁠Why do racecourses race at certain times a year? Ffos Las in winter, all weather multiple times a week in summer. Flip them round and you get the right result.

 8.⁠ ⁠Why do certain trainers make announcements through their bookmaker sponsors? It stinks and is a conflict of interest. All very unsavoury.

 9.⁠ ⁠The inclusion of concerts on big race days spoils the race days for the people who would’ve gone. Stick them on more mediocre days where you would struggle for attendances at racecourses.

British racing needs to make some easy but practical changes. (Photo credit: Alamy Images)

10.⁠ ⁠Whilst I regard the bookmaker checks as feral on affordability, the only justification of them is before bet placement, not after. 

11.⁠ ⁠Rule four should be implemented so the deduction is applied when the horse was officially declared a non-runner, not when a bookmaker pulls it from the market having shortened the price.

12.⁠ ⁠Drop The Racing League. It’s sh*t. Racing is not a team sport.

13.⁠ ⁠Horses should be in the main parade ring for at least 5 minutes. It is lazy on the part of connections and ribs racegoers doing half a circuit of the parade ring.

14.⁠ ⁠All racecourses should take cash to not disadvantage those, particular in the older generation, who do not want to or cannot pay by card.

15.⁠ ⁠Stewards enquiries for anything other than weighing in light should be called within 3 minutes of the race finishing, or not at all.

16.⁠ ⁠Racecourse gallops should be banned. They are a drain on field sizes and their explosion is not required, particularly not with febrile media coverage and a commentator.

17.⁠ ⁠ITV need to focus more on racing action rather than what superhero the presenters want to be or any other content which is juvenile. Nobody cares.

Concerts after race meetings have their place but should be scheduled in a more considered fashion. (Photo credit: Alamy Images)

18.⁠ ⁠Six race cards including a bumper should be banned. They rob the paying racegoer.

19.⁠ ⁠Racegoers deserve better than instant coffee in a paper cup for £4. Make it properly, staff it properly and provide enough toilets for folks to relieve themselves after.

20.⁠ ⁠Let racegoers go to the last fence. It’s a wonderful spectacle . You still can at some courses, but health and safety has been used at many. Put it in the terms of entry that the racecourse bears no responsibility if something happens. Which, let’s be frank, it never has. 

I could go on, but that will do for now. 

Joy to the world

It just about leaves me time to flag up one horse to watch In the Schweppes Trophy, or whatever guise it now follows. 

Joyeuse appeals as an unexposed sort in a race whose quality has gone downhill in recent years. She won’t mind the step back in trip after tanking round Cheltenham last time and should be favourite on the day. 

She is certainly bred and runs like she may be considerably better than her mark.

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