Kim Bailey: ‘Racing was not proven in gentle’

Kim Bailey displays on a day of “ruined” racing and modernising the game

Saturday’s racing at Ascot was ruined by the unseasonal drying floor circumstances. Because of this, racing was not proven in gentle on terrestrial TV. A walkover and a two-horse race on an enormous racing Saturday actually just isn’t ok. Paying clients need to see good racing and horses, however small fields have plagued us all summer season and once more this autumn.

Coach Nicky Henderson took the choice to not run the day’s star attraction, Structure Hill. Nicky has broad shoulders, as do all trainers who know these choices trigger complications and heartaches for the racecourse, racegoers and the expectant TV viewers, who may all too shortly be turned away to observe and help one other sport.

However the horse’s welfare should come first and, sadly, so few folks actually perceive the injury that may be completed by jarring a horse on quick floor.

It isn’t a phone dialog any coach desires to make to their house owners after calling it incorrectly.

A few years in the past, I used to be on account of run my Champion Hurdle winner Alderbrook at Newcastle within the Preventing Fifth, however on strolling the course, I felt it was not gentle sufficient for his fragile legs, which I’ve to say weren’t his greatest function. I recall Stan Clarke, the proprietor of the course, taking me apart and making an attempt his greatest to steer me to run.

I might not again down, and he advised me in no unsure phrases that I used to be letting down expectant racegoers and punters. I used to be that indignant that I requested to be given a microphone, in order that I may publicly apologise and clarify why I had made my resolution to those that had been racing. Was it good PR? I don’t know, however Stan Clarke appreciated that I made that decision and thanked me.

It has been a stunning autumn, however absolutely it’s right down to the clerks of the course to be trustworthy of their appraisal of the bottom. I’m all the time being requested by house owners as to why I’m not operating their horse when clerks are calling it good floor, however I’ve discovered that generally the outline of the bottom just isn’t because it appears.

Ascot had watered on Friday evening to attempt to maintain to their forecasted floor, one thing all too many racecourses are doing. Bizarrely, although, twice previously three weeks, I’ve taken a horse to the races just for it to be deserted as we had been saddling – on account of heavy rain and waterlogging. Racecourse floor is seemingly consuming the rain like a parched drunk!

Scarface ridden by Tom Cannon on his strategy to successful the Novices’ Hurdle at Ascot

Attracting the subsequent technology

Racing has many points to kind out to maintain modernising, however one space that I imagine most haven’t considered is that the largest proportion of younger employees coming into racing are feminine.

Please don’t assume I’m being sexist for one second, however the better proportion of females coming to work in racing has resulted in an enormous uptake of feminine jockeys, which is great for the game, and that quantity will solely enhance over time.

We now take seeing the likes of Rachael Blackmore, Bryony Frost and Hollie Doyle in each Flat racing and soar racing without any consideration, although it was not that way back that the considered a champion jockey being feminine was a non-starter.

One huge phrase of warning is that racecourses must kind their changing- and weighing-room amenities to accommodate feminine jockeys. Taunton, Leicester, Sandown and Fakenham are simply among the racecourses who’ve made big efforts to make life acceptable for them.

A minimum of gone are the times when females would stroll by the boys’s altering rooms to weigh out. Properly, have they?

● Do you agree with Kim’s ideas? Tell us at hhletters@futurenet.com together with your full title, nearest city and county for the possibility to have your ideas printed in a future concern of Horse & Hound journal

• This unique column will even be obtainable to learn in Horse & Hound journal, on sale Thursday 17 November 2022

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