B.h.a. c.e.o., crossed-fingers, oisin, old gold & cagnes-sur-mare.

​The feature in today’s Racing Post on the legacy that retiring C.E.O. Julie Harrington will leave the sport sits on the fence as to whether her tenure can be considered successful or not.
I have nothing personal against her, yet I remain adamant in my criticism of her leadership of the B.H.A., even if I admit that due to the governance set-up for the sport, she, and anyone, I suspect, who comes after her, has continually had to swim against a tide of self-interest. That said, nothing substantial has changed in the time she has held the tiller. The sport continues to go round in circles in search of hope or the miracle of salvation. The fine details of Premiership racing were, seemingly, written in pencil on the back of a cigarette packet that was left behind in the pub after all participants of the ‘come-together’ had consumed one too many sherbets. 
After no thought on the matter, inspiration came to me upon waking this morning on how the B.H.A. might be transformed into a more democratic body. Obviously, the sport needs a supremo with in-depth knowledge of the sport. Firstly, the position of Supremo, not C.E.O., is advertised in the Racing Post, with nominees not interviewed but put forward for election by ballot. Everyone who works within the industry, from stud farm to betting shop, from stable groom to t.v. presenters, to be able to vote on who they think would best serve the racing and breeding industry. But also, any member of the public can join, we will call it for now, the B.H.A. Membership Club, for a membership payment of a reasonable amount, no more than fifty-quid, to allow them also to participate in the election. This sport is my sport, just as much as it is your sport. We should have a say on who gets the honour of being its dedicated leader.
But first, those of influence in the sport should admit that the present system falls well short of what is required for horse racing in this country to thrive. Though the starting point for whoever rises to head-honcho of the B.H.A. must make the correct decisions that allow the sport a sporting chance to survive the slings and arrows currently coming in its direction..

Now until Boxing Day morning, it is crossed-fingers time. Please, no surprise and devastating withdrawals from the main races at Kempton or Leopardstown. If either Constitution Hill or Lossiemouth, for instance, were to be taken out of the Christmas Hurdle or Ballyburn or Sir Gino from the Wayward Lad, it would be akin to Father Christmas being unable to leave Lapland due to Rudolf suffering a dirty scope the previous day.

What a man that Oisin Murphy is. Sunday he was riding in India; Monday he was at Neal Mulholland’s near Bath to school the horse he is riding in the 3-mile hurdle at Wincanton on Boxing Day. He has so much to lose if he hits the deck and so little to gain, yet he is prepared to test himself in an unforgiving different disciple. Yes, one of his hobbies is riding his show-jumpers in events. But a 3-mile hurdle on a 25/1 outsider is a different ballgame altogether. I hope Wincanton, whose general manager is Oisin’s sister, get a bumper crowd to witness something unique – a Champion flat jockey riding in a proper National Hunt race. Crossed-fingers for it to go without mishap and for our great Champion flat jockey to finish the day with a smile on his face. Respect. 

Old Gold Racing - £60 first-time purchase, £40 thereafter – have 30,000 members. Where this sport is not floundering is in the number of people who are members of syndicates and members clubs. This is the future of the sport and if these syndicates could also be encouraged into breeding their own stock rather than always buying cast-offs, the sport might return to the heady days when the owner-breeder was the lynchpin of the sport.

After my plea for the Racing Post to include race-cards from the French provinces, in today’s edition Cagnes-Sur-Mare appears. This, of course, has 100% nothing to do with either the blog yesterday or my e-mail to Tom Ellis, but due to there being no racing in Britain and Ireland today. Yet this singular glimpse at French jumps racing was educational. Apart from a £28,000 listed chase, prize-money at Cagnes by the sea is similar to a second Saturday meeting over here. I hope the Racing Post do not forget to publish the results either on Boxing Day or if there is an on-line edition tomorrow, whatever day that is.
Also, it was joyous – yes, I am a Bryony Frost worshipper – to see Devon’s greatest jockey has two rides, neither owned by her retainers Isaac Soude and Simon Munir. I know why but it was perplexing to see that she claims 4 on both her rides. A jockey with her c.v. claiming 4!