tea-leafing the research of professionals. horse-racing around the world.

​Last week in the Racing Post – I now subscribe on-line – Chris Cook wrote an admirable piece, the kind where at the final full-stop you feel a round of applause is deserved, outlining and detailing the countries around the world where in one form or another horseracing takes place. The following is where I unashamedly steal (make use) of Christ Cook’s faultless research.
Countries that stage internationally recognised Group races: Argentine, Australia, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Britain, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey, U.A.E., U.S.A.
Countries listed under the International Federation of Horseracing Authority: Algeria, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chad, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, India, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, Venezuela.
Affiliated Member Countries: Mongolia, Turkmenistan.
Non-Member Countries: Barbados, China, Dominican Republic, Finland, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago.
Non I.F.H.A. Affiliated Countries: Burkino Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Kuwait, Lesotho, Libya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Zimbabwe.
Former I.F.H.A. member Countries: Columbia, Iran, Israel, Kenya, Lithuania, Madagascar, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Ukraine.
From the group that comprise those countries forming the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, at random I chose to conduct a wee bit of research into racing in Algeria, Bulgaria, Chad and Serbia, to satisfy my curiosity as to how professionally organised it might be, how popular with the public and how well-cared for were the horses.
There is only a minimal amount of horseracing in Algeria; not enough to engage my curiosity towards thorough research. In Bulgaria, on the other hand, there is an aspiration to build a pukka racecourse at Bourges on the Black Sea Coast to be called Todorovden. There is already an historic racecourse near Plovdiv in the village of Voyvodinovo and there is a day in Bulgaria designated ‘Horse Easter’ which celebrates all-things horse-related to the country and this includes amongst the festivities a couple of horse races. Horseracing in Bulgaria is overseen and promoted by The Heroes Club, founded in 1982.
In Chad, to my surprise, there are 25 organised race-meetings at N’Djamena, with the main race of the year the Grand Prix of the Republic. Far from professional, Chadian racing is best described as enthusiasm overcoming the harsh realities of life. The leading owner of racehorses in the country was quoted as saying ‘the gains do not cover the expense.’
Serbia has had to overcome war and their horseracing is about recreating  the past. It has bone-fide racecourses at Bogatic, Belgrade and Zobnatica. The Bogatic Hippodrome holds several meetings a year, with the Christmas event usually drawing a crowd of 8,000. The course at Belgrade was constructed in 1912 and is considered Bulgaria’s main racecourse. Whilst Zobnatica came into use in 1921.
While it is heartening to be confronted by a world-wide enthusiasm and interest in horseracing, while it is also enlightening and downright surprising, it concerns me that though more racing around the world benefits the breeding industry, isn’t it on the same lines a further possible threat to horse racing in Britain and Ireland?
Already the up and coming racing nations of Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain etc, export so many good quality horses from Europe, along with Australia, the U.S. and others, to race for prize-money that dwarfs by comparison what can be won in Britain and Ireland, that it might only need two or three other countries with aspirations to go full-on racing-mode to deplete reserves of horses here to the point it tips our racing on a downward spiral to match  the generally poor standard around the globe.
I could be suggesting that a publicity drive in many of these overseas countries to highlight the possibilities of working in the breeding and racing industry in Britain and Ireland, or indeed owning horses, could prove beneficial even if it may be costly. And without people native to Britain and Ireland willing to work in the industry the sport will atrophy anyway. By nature, and experience, I am a pessimist. Old age doth wither both hope and expectation.
Chris Cook’s article, which is a wonderful example of an excellent writer informing his readers of an unconsidered topic far away from finding the next winner, opened my eyes and set my imagination wandering. Perhaps I like to worry over matters out of my remit, and perhaps the article highlighted my parochialism, the wrong belief that horseracing belongs heart and soul to Britain and Ireland. And, exhibiting a latent xenophobia, it pains me to think that exported racehorses are not as well-cared-for in foreign countries as they are, or should be, here. What the article did bring into sharp relief to me, as it should in everyone with a love and concern for the sport, is the longer prize-money in this country remains pathetically low at the lowest end, the greater becomes the jeopardy of British racing slipping further and further down the league table of global importance. At the moment, flat racing survives on reputation. Once, like Gods of myth, we were immortal.