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Racing isn’t that popular. It doesn’t stop the nation which is the main reason why there is less and less on terrestrial TV. I love racing as I assume all who write on here do but the only way they fill race tracks is to put on bouncy castles and pop concerts because thats what people actually want.
could argue that it is by some margin the second most attended sport in this country
There again…i think speedway was once too
The conundrum is that attending the races is as popular as ever but widespread following of the sport as a sport is possibly less than it has been.
[b:2xv6ab23]Nothing wrong with that provided that they have a strong PR company with decent contacts and an imaginitive approach who can get the story out of the specialist pages and into the mainstream
Thats how it is done these days.[/b:2xv6ab23]
Very true Clivex, but having witnessed the shambles that was the flat jockeys awards ceremony at Doncaster I doubt there was any PR company involvement strong or otherwise.
Still Paul Roy does strike me as being capable, lets hope that turns out to be the case over time.
could argue that it is by some margin the second most attended sport in this country
There again…i think speedway was once too
The conundrum is that attending the races is as popular as ever but widespread following of the sport as a sport is possibly less than it has been.
people don’t actually go for the racing though. My local track Haydock has almost given up on jumps racing because they want to be able to have as many Friday night and Saturday afternoon meetings during the summer. And its not because they are going to stage better flat racing. Its because they can get the stag and hen parties and those who will spend all their money in the bars. Newmarket’s best crowds are for the Friday night concerts not to watch the horses. There’s nothing wrong with that, race courses have to make money, but sometimes I think racing fans have an over inflated view of where our sport is in the general pysche of the nation.
I would agree with most of that
It has become a quite well marketed day out for many. Like rugby internationals, wimbledon and increasingly football…many of the large events and even routine biggish meetings are now heavily the preserve of the daytrippers
There’s no news slant that the press can use on this one.
I don’t think you’re trying hard enough moehat.
[i:fb6v54ma]In the red corner – Kauto Star: The finest steeplechaser since Desert Orchid bids to win his second Cheltenham Gold Cup (and his second £1M bonus in the process) to cement his position as one of the all-time fencing greats.
In the Blue corner – Denman: The undefeated pretender to the throne, and stablemate of Kauto Star. Co-owned by a member of the landed-gentry, and a professional gambler, this odd couple are looking to their horse to defeat the Champion and fulfil his destiny
Will Kauto Star’s irresistable momentum, vanquish Denmans unstoppable force? Find out at Cheltenham racecourse on March 14th.
Be there, or be a drippy, toss-pot follower of Flat racing!!![/color:fb6v54ma][/i:fb6v54ma]
I’m talking about Joe Public here, Hopper, and I’m assuming the news media want some sort of Black Beauty sentimentality to attach to the story before they’ll run with it eg. Carrie Ford riding in the National – that sort of thing. My whole raison d’etre at this moment in time is to see this race with these amazing horses and I hope so much that we get the race we’re expecting and, more importantly that the horses come back safe and sound. In fact, I’m going to be so nervous I’ll probably not get much sleep the night before and will have to watch it through my fingers from behind the sofa….
I’m not sure we should take it for granted that he will become a household name fist. I would have thought that Best Mate, though not as good as the chasers you mentioned, should have become a household name since he won 3 Gold Cups. It had been close to 40 years since such an achievement was made. Perhaps his lack of racing meant the pres never really got the chance to use his name all that much
What I was referring to in my original post was what can WE as racing enthusiasts do not what the BHA can/will do.
That is why I reffered to mass emailing certain publications asking – when are they gonne cover this great clash? Do they know how big this is etc etc. Perhaps this is a method that should not be supported but if this was the U.S. then this clash would be all over the papers as they love a showdown
Granted the race is on a Friday at 3:15 but I think this is more so about creating awareness of how great our sport can be. If people really want to watch it then they can find a way but otherewise at least they should be aware of the magnitude of the event
Fair play to you mate I think it’s perhaps a little early to be calling it a clash of the titans though where the press are concerned…….After the event may be a different story.
Arkle and mill House were somewhat different……One was the champion of England the other the champion of Ireland……..on there first meeting Arkle was a bit of a denman in the snese he hadn’t quite caught the public eys the way Mill House had……….however by there second meeting it was a whole different story and the Media was onto it like a flash…..they knew Mill House had a real challenger to his title and they were more or less guaranteed a huge audience, sell newspapers etc……….some non punters will have heard of Kauto Star very few would know anything about Denman………..it’ sorta hype without real foundation and until it is known for sure that Denman is any sort of threat for certain, I think we are pretty much on our own…no doubt it will make the eveing news during the festival and they might even show some footage the day before the race but it’s not ging to be national news until then IMO……..however what you are looking at doing can only help promote it.
I’m talking about Joe Public here, Hopper, and I’m assuming the news media want some sort of Black Beauty sentimentality to attach to the story before they’ll run with it
I’d agree here. The race will be hard to promote as there’s not an obvious story behind these two horses. It’s great for us racing fans, with two extremely talented horses from the same stable up against each other, but it hasn’t got that extra something that the general non-racing public could relate too that makes it really special like a rags to riches story or something along those lines
If Her Maj and Arthur Daley went into ownership together, it would be all over the papers.
Barber and Findlay are only a couple of steps away from such an unlikely pairing. I say there is a story to be told here, even if it’s based on nothing more than the peculiar partnership that owns Denman. Everything else, in terms of building up the race, would follow on from there.
There’s a shocking lack of imagination going on here, people. Where are the alleged scribes that frequent this gaff to pick-up on this idea and run with it and then send me a small stipendiary cheque for coming up with it in the first place???
Bah!
The fact that the horses live next door to each other could be the obvious story…
Was Arkle v Mill House deliberately moved to the Saturday so more people could see it or was there another reason?
Here’s a nice t-shirt for you FOF!
Cheers Paul I copied the pic I can get one printed her as they can copy anything
Arkle V Mill Horse was moved to a Satruday to ensure the whole of Ireland didn’t take the day off sick
The fact that the horses live next door to each other could be the obvious story…
Was Arkle v Mill House deliberately moved to the Saturday so more people could see it or was there another reason?
The race ; indeed the meeting (usually tues, wed, thurs) was moved to thurs, friday, saturday, after a request from the BBC, who were keen to attract the biggest audience possible for the much anticipated clash between England and Ireland’s big two.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
The fact that the horses live next door to each other could be the obvious story…
Was Arkle v Mill House deliberately moved to the Saturday so more people could see it or was there another reason?
The race ; indeed the meeting (usually tues, wed, thurs) was moved to thurs, friday, saturday) after a request from the BBC, who were keen to attract the biggest audience possible for the much anticipated clash between England and Ireland’s big two.
And there is no truth in the rumour that I slept with Arkle and "H" was seen knecking Mill House in the moring of the race
at least that’s what he told me
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