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I hope you’re right, CAS, but my gut feeling is that, while this will now subside, the protests will intensify year on year going forwards and as older people die and younger generations hit adulthood, racing’s (and betting’s) position in society will be come increasingly vulnerable.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"The once a year punter can do what they like
they are not missed the rest of the year
its not the race to attract new people to the sport anyway, neither is the racing league
Cheltenham should be championed to the hilt for thatGaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Yes, I do accept there is a generational thing to some extent. But I also believe the very visible and vocal protestors are a minority.
There will have been plenty of young people in attendance at Aintree. OK, some are there for social rather than racing reasons but they are clearly not hostile to the sport.
These are tough times for racing because of criticism of the sport and gambling. But I still think there are more people who are well disposed towards racing than we might think.
On blinkers. They simply used to be seen as adding to the risk because they limit peripheral vision so efficiently. In a race like the National, they horse needs to be aware of everything happening on all sides. When this theory changed and why, God knows.
The protest group have announced that they’ll be targeting race meetings all over the country, this Summer, and not just the big events.
“as older people die and younger generations hit adulthood, racing’s (and betting’s) position in society will be come increasingly vulnerable.”
Which makes it the responsibility of our generation to try to attract youngsters to the sport.
“The protest group have announced that they’ll be targeting race meetings all over the country, this Summer, and not just the big events.”
Perfect
it gives the piss heads someone to fight instead of each otherGaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
I know I’ve mentioned this many times over the years, but there is a lot of sneering in racing about best dressed lady competitions etc and I still maintain that racing is one of the only times, apart from weddings and the theatre (or, what would be my worst nightmare, cruises) when people can get really dressed up ( and wear those expensive outfits that were bought for a wedding never to see the light of day again). So let’s encourage people to use racing as a social event: something that it always used to be. The only time the girls at work used to discuss racing was when they actually watched Royal Ascot to see the fashions. Let’s face it, not many people slave over racing form to pick winners the way that we do. They like the clothes, the champagne and the names of the horses.
Out of interest, having commented on an anti racing thread on my laidees forum ( something I tried not to do but ended up succumbing to the pressure to defend the people who work in racing and love their horses, but have ended up feeling battered, bruised and reviled) but is it pretty much women who get wound up about racing being cruel? Is it something that men slip into conversation? Unfortunately there wasn’t much in the news yesterday so the news media had to go to town with Aintree.
It’s a fair point Moehat but I’ve stopped going to the Scottish nat as I’m bored trying to dodge the piss/cokeheads when I want to see the horses or put a bet on , a football match is about the football , racing has to be about the horses
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
“The protest group have announced that they’ll be targeting race meetings all over the country, this Summer.”
In that case there needs to be arrests as soon as they set foot in a racecourse and prosecutions.
No one is denying these people their right to peacefully protest. But they do not have the right to trespass or to disrupt a perfectly legal activity just because they do not like it.
They have the right to persuade others to their point of view but they do not have the right to impose their views on everyone else. But unfortunately that point seems to be lost on (mostly left wing) political activists, who seem to believe they have moral righteousness on their side and their opponents are not merely wrong but immoral and evil as well. A consequence of the malign social media culture and falling educational standards, unfortunately.
Noble Yeats won at 50/1 last year in first time headgear after similarly being out of form.
I can see where you’re coming from: I feel the same about my local track, Uttoxeter. It used to be a great track: parades of stallions, good racing. Used to be happy to take my kids there of a weekend. Still probably ok mid week but when ( I think) Arena Leisure took it over it went downhill along with the entrance fee going up. I think the last time I went I was confronted by lots of drunken men pissing in the car park and that was a long time ago.Gross. Nottingham evening meetings are still very pleasant and Derek Thompson presides over best dressed lady competitions( there’s something wonderfully Hi de Hi about Derek imo). And tracks like Kelso where the crowd, in general, are very knowledgeable, still make for a great day out.From reading When Birmingham Went Racing I’m sure there’s always been rowdiness at some race meetings ( maybe it’s just us Brummies!). I don’t know what the answer is.
I think Arab nations race and raced horses for prestige and excitement but mainly prestige. Prestige is a small factor in British racing and it’s mainly about money – prize money but betting and fluttering money. Possibly association football is a purer sport because it is less about money and more about excitement and supporters experience highs and lows too – but there little talk of money, outside the management.
As for death figures of 0.2% that relates to 28 deaths out of 14000 horses in training. Agriculture fisheries and forestry deaths amount to .08 per 100,000.
If my maths is correct that amounts to 11.2 deaths per 14000. I told the little guy not to go up that tree with the chainsaw.
Now setting of to work in the seas the fields and the forests with two legs is two and a half times as lethal as going to work on four legs to the races.
I hope I haven’t let the cat out of the bag !
“There is a lot of sneering in racing about best dressed lady competitions etc and I still maintain that racing is one of the only times…when people can get really dressed up…So let’s encourage people to use racing as a social event”.
That is exactly what Aintree is, certainly on the Friday. For lots of Liverpool girls, Aintree Friday is the biggest day of the year.
I would not like to be the person who had to tell them their big day is now banned!
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