Racing politics does not quite garner the interest as the footballing equivalent.
While the sport is nowhere near the levels of the FIFA farce presided over by the ridiculous Gianni Infantino, the move by The Jockey Club to split from The Racecourse Association (RCA) is a significant move.
For years, racing has accepted that the status quo of governance will not help the sport’s interest in the long term. For years, nothing has been done about it.
Ascot announced its intention to quit RCA and The Jockey Club, which controls major racecourses such as Cheltenham, Aintree, Newmarket and Epsom, will follow suit by the end of the year.
There is one obvious fear here. The big guns fancy going it alone and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) must be wise to it. Lord Charles Allen barely had his feet under the desk as BHA chief before he was undermined by the racecourses.
He wanted an element of commercial control and was quickly kicked aside. Allen quickly left his post and has been recently replaced by Simon Cox.
The Jockey Club look poised to primarily focus on festivals such as the Grand National
Kempton hosted a thrilling King George on Boxing Day but the future of the course is in doubt
CEO Jim Mullen has revealed that The Jockey Club will leave The Racecourse Association
There is now a general air of acceptance that any say in the financial interest of individual racecourses is beyond the BHA. That’s a concession they can afford to give away, however. The BHA ought to focus on their main objective in governing the sport.
Cox can say to the racecourses; OK, have full commercial control but give us more say in regulatory matters that might cross-over into the BHA brief. Things such as fixture list control might be a better hill to die on than commercial interests.
The concern for the BHA here is that independent racecourses get badly left behind. So much so that some fall by the wayside. Ascot has increased prize money for major races like the King George. This weekend’s Shergar Cup is a niche event but has good money.
The Jockey Club have struck the odd commercial deal and their interests suggest they are funnelling resources to the top end; more big races at Aintree, maximising Cheltenham and Newmarket while rejuvenating Epsom. All of this is happening as the future of Kempton, also in the Jockey Club portfolio, is in doubt.
Jockey Club chief executive Jim Mullen was the strongest initial ally to Lord Allen and, now he’s had long enough in the job, he knows exactly what he wants for The Jockey Club. The assessment phase is over and Mullen may well have spied an opportunity to seize a jump start on racing’s commercial assets.
The ball is now firmly in the court of RCA. Racecourses, large and small independents, will have to decide whether they want to stick or twist.
Arena Racing Company and their boss Martin Cruddace also have a major part to play in all this. The BHA, for the moment, can only look on and see how this racecourse rabble pans out.
Variety and accessibility are two enormous assets to British racing that might now be very much under threat.
Mullen may have just fired the starting pistol on a new commercial arms race and created a two-tier environment where the big races and festivals get bigger but the small every day meetings shrivel and die out.
ABSENCE OF RACING LEAGUE A MAJOR HELP TO THE SHERGAR CUP
For over 20 years the Shergar Cup is mainly seen as a harmless weekend of fun.
It’s a rare raceday where team sport comes to the fore. This is a bone of contention for punters as racing, while it’s a collective effort to get a horse ready to perform, is an individual sport.
It’s a hard betting medium at the best of times. Unfamiliar jockeys, different colours and perhaps a lower than overall standard expected in the saddle. The team aspect means little.
Team Great Britain and Ireland celebrate their success in the Shergar Cup
One isolated race meeting can be tolerated by the racing public and the Shergar Cup is now unique again thanks to the binning of the Racing League. It also gives people from different racing jurisdictions a chance to shine and get to know riders from across the world.
There’s not much of a material difference in that failed concept, except it ran at the same time in the calendar and lasted SIX weeks.
One day? Yes. One day that’s spread over six weeks? No thanks.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK…
Time will tell about the strength of the form of the 21-length victory by FORTITUDINE in a Class Three Kempton novice on Wednesday night but the Godolphin-owned juvenile could hardly have created a strong visual impression.
He has been gelded and went off 7-2, which suggests this performance was something of a surprise to the Charlie Appleby yard, but he was quick away from a wide draw and effortlessly powered clear.
A brother to Rebel’s Romance, Fortitudine has the pedigree to make a splash at the top level but being a gelding will limit some of his loftier ambitions in his fledgling career.
SELECTIONS OF THE DAY…
Big Mojo drops in class in the Group Three Phoenix Sprint Stakes (Curragh, 3.25) but he’s been racing so keenly that he’s not given himself much chance of staying six furlongs.
The favourite is taken on with fellow British raider JAMES’S DELIGHT (5/2, Sky Bet). The Clive Cox-trained sprinter has smart course form and his latest effort has been strongly franked. He can track Big Mojo and Bucanero Fuerte into this and pick them off late.
SUN GODDESS (5/4 William Hill) can make it an 18th victory in the Group One Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (Curragh, 4.00). She was beaten in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and scrambled home in a Group Two last time out. Stall two looks a good draw to sit handily and she might have too much class for the rest of the field before stepping up in trip later in the season.
France have won the last three renewals of the Prix Maurice de Gheest (Deauville, 3.40) and can make it four in a row with STOLEN KISS (7/2, bet365). He ran a blinder when fourth at Royal Ascot in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes and can repel the challenge of 1,000 Guineas winner True Love to win this Group One contest for Marseille-based trainer Patrice Cottier.
