The world of racing extends a lot further than you might think. Whilst I’ve spoken of the jockeys who risk life and limb, the trainers who weave their magic day in and day out and the bodies responsible for promoting our prodigious sport, I’ve mentioned very little of the owners behind the great beasts. The ownership community is thoroughly diverse, ranging from those who choose to buy and race a single horse to the families and individual... Continue Reading

In sport, as in life, the magnitude of reality dawns once in a while. The ugly head of actuality rears itself and smothers the utopia of everything we adore. Over the last three weeks, this blog has focussed on the beauty of racing: the way mere animals in a field can ignite, enthral, exhilarate and thrill; the way each weekday paves the way for Super Saturdays where adrenaline thrills are copious and reality is a mere passing memory. The past... Continue Reading

Twenty-first century sport often fails to provide value for money.  With League Two football tickets rarely cheaper than £15, or a visit to a Premiership rugby club leaving little change out of a Twenty, the average sports fan often ends a Saturday afternoon more concerned with the state of their wallet than the state of affairs on the turf. Horse racing is attempting, and largely succeeding, to tackle this problem. Four hours of racing is r... Continue Reading

Horse racing, throughout the last decade, has suffered from an image crisis. The Levy – a tax on bookmakers which is used to fund racing – has rapidly declined; crowd numbers have slowly diminished; the use of the whip has led to controversy with the RSPCA and claims of race fixing have been well publicised, as the trial of jockey Kieron Fallon in 2007 exemplifies. An image, however, is only as detrimental at the holder allows it to be. T... Continue Reading

Looking around the grandstand at Kempton Park on the 15th January was a sore sight for student eyes. The racecourse was packed to the rafters as the King George VI Chase – one of the highlights of the season – unfolded before a captivated crowd.

Yet there was a problem with the audience. The size was commendable; the enthusiasm was insurmountable; even the attire was acceptable. But the composition was wrong.... Continue Reading