affordability, king george, competitiveness and NUMBERS. (AND DON'T START ME ON THE RACING LEAGUE!)

​Affordability checks for punters is part and parcel of the aim of government, and governments around the world, to control every aspect of citizens’ lives. Banks not allowing certain people personal and business accounts, as with Nigel Farage and the bookmakers featured in todays Racing Post, is another example of state oversight. Remember, the long-term financial policy is for a cashless society and a universal credit system that allows government to know the amounts people are spending, where it is being spent and is a system where ‘they’ have greater control of our finances than we will have. If you exceed the speed limit in your car, the fine will automatically be taken from your bank account; if you make a comment on social media that ‘they’ ascribe to misinformation – a comment that goes against the official narrative – a fine can be imposed without your immediate knowledge and the money taken from your bank account or credit score. Think China and you have a fair idea of what is round the corner for us all. Affordability checks will eventually be rolled-out to many other sectors of society. If British racing engaged with the wider public on this matter, taking into account my comments, comments backed by many financial and social commentators, greater support for fighting the line of travel might be garnered. Make no mistake, government lies to us. What they say is only half the truth of the matter.
To get back on track. The King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot this Saturday looks a real cracker; possibly the highest quality flat race in this country for many years. It is like the good old days when because of a lack of viable opportunities elsewhere, the best horses took each other on in the best races. I want Pyledriver to win. I expect King of Steel to win. I wouldn’t be surprised by any result other than Hamish winning.
The Racing League is back. Still failing to achieve its goal of increasing attendance numbers, something that will not be helped by I.T.V. televising each and every race as that is just another disincentive for people to get in their cars to be in attendance for any of the six Racing League fixtures. It’s a dud concept and the organisers should fall on their sword and admit defeat. It cannot succeed as it does not reflect the true nature of horse-racing. If someone new to the sport attends Yarmouth tonight and enjoys the team spirit and attends the next Yarmouth fixture, he or she will be surprised and disappointed to discover that horse racing is in fact not based on fictional teams that have nothing much in common with the regions the jockeys, trainers and owners are supposed to represent. For the Racing League to have a future, horse racing would have to become Team Gosden, Team Balding, Team Henderson, Team Nicholls, with assigned riders that only the team they are attached to able to ride for Team Gosden, Team Balding, etc, etc. The prize-money is good, though, though if they can assemble that sort of money for a dud like the Racing League, why can’t it just be put into six proper fixtures?
The competitiveness of British racing will only be achieved by less race meetings, especially in an era when the number of horses in training is decreasing, as are the number of licenced trainers. It’s not rocket science, is it? Also, with the eternal problem of attracting young people into the sport, it would also make sense to limit the number of horses any one trainer can have in a stable at any one time. If the limit were to be 150 or 125, those trainers with over 200 horses in their care would need less staff, with those people dispersed around all those trainers who are currently understaffed. Such a policy, if only brought-in for a limited number of years, would benefit the industry as a whole.
The issue of the decrease in licenced trainers – down 17% in Britain and 13% in Ireland – is caused by economics and the horrendous increase in every product used and consumed in a racing stable. Largely, it is an issue that is out of British racing’s hands. The above solution – limiting the number of horses any one trainer can have – would improve competitiveness and allow more trainers to, if not make a profit, at least break even and allow an incentive to struggle on rather than throw in the towel.
There may not be a credible climate crisis but there is crisis British racing must survive and the B.H.A. and others should be debating possible policies to help trainers keep in business, otherwise in the future the sport will be kept alive by Team Gosden taking on Team Balding and Team Henderson taking on Team Nicholls, with no other competition in town!