city street racing.

​In today’s Racing Post, Richard Forristal, with wisdom, authority and a command of the language (he is when all said and done a trained professional journalist) that far outstrips anything I have ever achieved, put forth his opinion on both the concept of City Street Racing and how likely it is to come to fruition. The editor of the Racing Post would not allow him to use the phrase ‘the idea is bollocks’, though clearly that is his opinion. I have no such censorship imposed upon me and though I do not like to descend to such a language the phrase does represent my contempt for the concept. On the likelihood of City Street Racing actually taking place, Forristal, I am pleased to announce, thinks it as likely as Jo Swinson going on a romantic dinner date with Nigel Farrage.
City Street Racing is both a Public Relations catastrophe waiting to happen. City Street sport works well for athletics, allowing the fans to get close-up to the action, to almost rub shoulders with the athletes taking part. It also brings a whole new dynamic to motor racing. In both these sports it is comparatively easy to protect the public if something is to go wrong. Barriers are erected to protect spectators if cars crash or flip into the air and cars, no matter how fast they can travel when their wheels are touching the ground, will eventually come to a halt, and of course drivers can apply the brakes. Drivers of motor cars have far more control than a jockey on a fired-up racehorse.
Using modified pallets to use as a track for athletes is a proven formula and as Forristal admitted, the concept has worked when trialled in what is ostensibly a field, with horses, I guess, galloping in Indian File. But male athletes are thirteen-stone or more, I guess, (all that muscle must make them heavier than they might look) with females perhaps around ten-stone, and in athletics there is only a maximum of four per race whether it is a sprint or a hurdles event. The force going through the racing surface to the pallets will be the best part of a half-a-ton per horse greater, times a maximum field which I believe will be eight runners. As Forristal writes, the ground surface will move unless it is heavily banked on either side, which will minimalize the view of the spectators.
Although I accept that what was a rural, countryside sport, at its inception, racecourses are now situated in close proximity to housing developments, major roads and the general urban sprawl, yet the horses still race in what is to all effect a green lung of fresh air. If living in the centre of major cities is unhealthy for ordinary people, especially people with allergies and breathing complaints, how can it be a good idea for racehorses, who will be breathing deeply while racing, especially so at the end of races, to be raced in such toxic conditions?
My main concern, though, is the likelihood, and it will happen, as we see it happen often at proper racecourses, of horses getting loose. Racehorses can escape railed racecourses. When panicked they can jump walls and fences, gallop into stationary objects, slip on tarmac, almost any scenario you can think of is possible. Horses can also sustain untreatable injuries, rear-over in the stalls (they will have stalls, I would think) and kick one another. Jockeys, too, can suffer serious injuries.
There is not one acceptable aspect to City Street Racing. Every race will be a sprint. Every race will be for older horses. Only a limited number of jockeys will be required. It does not represent horse racing as we know it in any way. And it is not the way to present our sport to a curious public. As I have said before, and it may not be as sexy or innovative as racing on pallets up city streets, the simplest way to market our sport to the general public is to lay on a fleet of coaches and take people on a free day out to their local racecourse. Give them a free race-card and organise a free bet with one of the big bookmakers. Have people on hand to answer questions and to take them a guided tour of the racecourse. An initiation ceremony, if you wish. Have one of these ‘free days’ every month and put on a show, have a display of retired horses, have jockeys speak to our ‘newbies’, have films of the great horses, the great races, running on a loop somewhere. Celebrity endorsements, perhaps. Sometimes the simple ideas are the best. After all, the racecourses are already in place, as are the horses, the jockeys, the racing, etc.
For pities sake B.H.A., kick City Street Racing in the head, yes, put it out of its misery, and get off your backsides and show some initiative yourselves.