a matter of importance, i wish people would listen to the wisdom of d.jennings & the doyler.

​In comparison to what is going on in the world right now, even the world of horse racing, it might seem trifling to point out that a rug is for winter and a sheet for summer. I would guess that no one wore a woollen jumper at Royal Ascot last week and by the same token no horse required a rug. The item that caused Lazzat to shy and dump James Doyle on the ground was a cotton sheet, not a rug. Also, apart from the sheet holding water when the horses were being cooled by those whose job it was to throw buckets of water over them, the sheet, on such a hot day, was unnecessary, apart from displaying whatever logo was on the sheet.
‘We’ make such a fuss about animal welfare and the devices used last week to cool the horses, all very good and hopefully available at every racecourse during the hot days of summer, yet any health and safety officer would recognise the risk hazard of the procedure on show at Royal Ascot last week. And do not get on your high horse and tell me that horses have sheets, and rugs, thrown across their quarters and backs multiple times a day, as you would be right. However, Lazzat demonstrated you should never do anything that might spook a horse. The time for that sheet, even in the heat of Royal Ascot, was in the winning enclosure and the walk back to the stables.

David Jennings is often right, I find. He would admit, I would hope, that he is not the best tipster at the Racing Post, but in matters of opinion he usually hits the sweet spot of any debate. He peppered his piece in the Racing Post today with his great knowledge of football (did you know it was the 100th anniversary of the offside rule in football? I had no idea but David knew.) and G.A.A. was dying on its boots before a big review that changed the sport forever. I must admit that I am not quite sure what G.A.A. is. Hurling, perhaps. It must be very important in Ireland as over 60,000 attended its big final this season.
Anyway, the great man wants a review of all-things racing in an attempt to reverse the decline both in Ireland and in England, and he is right to bring this dilemma into full view. Read his piece and I doubt anyone will find fault with his proposals. He does though miss out on two embedded traditions of British racing that need to be extinguished. Dress codes and enclosures.
If you want people to come racing, and we desperately do, allow them to dress to suit their personalities. Personally, I am appalled by people who wear socks with sandals or shoes without socks, but that is their choice and we should not shoot ourselves in the foot by denying odd fashion wearing people entry to our sport. After-all, the jockeys parade around in the most garish of colours, don’t they?
I know from experience that the different enclosures and varying entry prices confuse people and put them off from attending racecourse for fear of wandering into a zone unbefitting their entry fee. Rid racecourses of enclosures and charge one price for admission. A racecourse is an outdoor venue, within reason allow spectators to wander, to experience racing from every angle, from every part of the racecourse. Even construct a pathway so spectators can wander the whole circumference of the racecourse. Allow people to book a picnic table, for a price, of course, and allow them to bring their own food.
Horse racing, as far as spectators are concerned, is out-of-date in many ways, including a race programme that still resembles the calendar of events from before the 2nd World War.

In the Another View column in the Racing Post today, Andrew Dietz praises James Doyle for his work ethic and ability in the saddle. He is also, as he demonstrated time again at Royal Ascot last week when both thanking the water-carriers for cooling down his mounts after their races and commenting on the work other jockeys had performed on horses he then gets to ride, that he is a gentleman. I remember when he stepped in for the ride on Trueshan in France when the other Doyle was suspended, when asked if she was worried whether she would lose the ride to James, Hollie replied. ‘No, James is the complete gentleman. He would never suggest he should keep the ride.’