parade-rings. part 2.

​As many people have said, to get horses into the main parade ring to allow spectators plenty of time to cast their eye over their fancies should be an easy win for the B.H.A.. It is only a matter of going back to the way things used to be. Mind you, it is a telling indictment on the sport’s regulator that no one at B.H.A. headquarters has paid any attention to the situation and that it has taken a long ‘campaign’ by people such as Richard Hoiles and Ken Pitterson to achieve some progress in the matter. All that is needed now is to put out an edict (or to politely inform trainers of their responsibility to the fee-paying racegoers) that horses must be in the main parade ring in time to do at least 3 circuits before the jockey is legged-up. And emphasise the word ‘parade’ as that is the purpose of the ‘parade ring.’
Of course, the B.H.A.’s initial response is to talk the matter over with relevant parties before coming to a decision. Delay, delay, delay, when for no expense the racegoers experience will be improved by acceding to the demand of those who want nothing more than to see horses walking around the parade ring before they canter down to the start. I should imagine the racecourse where it will be most beneficial to racegoers to have a good view of all the runners is Newmarket, where once the horses have left the main parade ring, the horses are forever going away from the stands as they canter down to the start.
Perhaps what the B.H.A. should do over the next few months is to conduct a survey/investigation into ways to improve overall the racegoer experience at racecourses, to establish a required minimum standard of racegoer care and how best to encourage local people to support their local racecourse. It is said that the B.H.A. have no real power in which to govern a multi-faceted sport, which is doubtless true, but they might use the regulatory powers they do have to conduct research, or even just to have visibility at racecourses to learn the gripes and moans of those who do go racing, both on a regular basis and of those new to the racecourse experience. It is all very well paying someone a large salary to meet and greet politicians and to represent the sport at swanky sporting gatherings, but what about meeting the people who actually attend race-meetings, especially those who go through the turnstiles at the bread and butter meetings?
Incidentally, the B.H.A. is advertising for a Chair – not something to sit on, things are not yet that bad but what might have once been termed as a Chairman, Chairwoman or Chairperson, the position now reduced to that of any old Windsor chair, not even a Chippendale or Sheraton. Slightly classier, don’t you think, than Chair would be the position of ‘Sheraton.’ – with a £100,000 salary, though anyone wishing to apply for the post must be willing to work for at least 2-days a week. How many actual hours that entails is not established or whether the position allows the successful candidate to work from home. If interested, applications close on July 15th.
Yes, the phrase ‘jobs for the boys’ does come to mind, even if a female is to be appointed. If you presently work in horse racing, no matter the amount of experience you have, I doubt you have much chance of being selected for this particular gravy train appointment.
Royal Ascot next week, so obviously the ground is going to dry-up so as to prevent Alan King from finally being able to give Trueshan and his connections a chance of Gold Cup glory.