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I don’t think it’s a “problem” in the sense the question was meant but, at a time when racing is supposedly trying to reach out to new audiences (largely groups who will never be interested as far as I can see), it is odd that nobody seems bothered to find out why the ethnic diversity of gamblers isn’t reflected in racegoers. It suggests opportunities that ought, at least, be being explored by the industry.
I noticed this about 30 years ago. I haven’t given it much thought since and I don’t believe anyone else should either. Nobody forces anyone to go racing, or not to go for that matter. Life shouldn’t be about constantly looking to balance black and white.
… at a time when racing is supposedly trying to reach out to new audiences (largely groups who will never be interested as far as I can see), it is odd that nobody seems bothered to find out why the ethnic diversity of gamblers isn’t reflected in racegoers. It suggests opportunities that ought, at least, be being explored by the industry.
ITV have the perfect opportunity to address this situation when they take over terrestrial coverage. They could bring in one or (preferably) more non-white faces; it has always struck me as odd that a sport which is kept afloat at both ends (punters and betting shop staff at the bottom, rich Arab owners and breeders at the top) by substantial support from non-whites is almost completely Caucasian in between.
There is no “situation” to address. It is not a problem. This is beginning to read like the Guardian on one of its ever more frequent comical days
I go to the theatre a lot. Mostly fringe. There is always a great effort made to include an actor from a so called minority. The globe theatre ensures this is the case for every Shakespeare production. Doesn’t bother me.
But Does it bring in more black theatre goers. Does it fck. Theatre remains mainly white middle class and so what if it does?
Has there ever been a white Othello at The Globe? (smiley)
Bloody uncomfortable The Globe, but I can see the attraction. Think it was ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ I saw there, though I was really only concentrating on the cramp in my long legs and my numb bum
I’ve been watching ‘Dickensian’ on the Beeb and find it most enjoyable. Plenty of dark faces in it, notably The Artful Dodger; which might irk some but is quite plausible as there was a significant West Indian population in 19th century London
Likewise ‘Jericho’ on ITV which is essentially a story spun around the construction of the Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle-Carlisle railway. Bossman’s a black American and the squire’s housekeeper a dead-ringer for Mammy in ‘Gone With The Wind’
“So what” indeed
There is no “situation” to address.
Disagree.
As outlined above, by several posters, racing relies on brown and black faces at several levels; how many members of the BHA board or other racing bodies are non-white?
What does it matter. If blacks, asians, chinese etc want to go racing they can do. If they don’t they don’t. You can say the same about many other sports. Swimming springs to mind. I could mention several more. Tennis without the Williams sisters would be all white and birtauuly everyone that goes is white. So what.
One of the official racecourse photographers at Warwick yesterday was a Sikh gentleman. Anyone know who he is?
Mike
I don’t say it is a “problem” as such…
However, surely it would be a good idea to find out why those Black, Asian and Chinese (and white) who watch/bet on horse racing in betting shops – do not go racing? I know not all will give the same answer and may be nothing can be done. But if something can be done to encourage them to come racing it would be both nice to see them and good for racing – having more people going racing is a good thing. Just as it would be if we were talking about white people.Thankfully, more women seem to be going racing than when I started racing back in the 1980’s; could still do with more. Hopefully racing won’t be as “white” (or “male”) in years to come.
Value Is EverythingI’ve deliberately left this thread alone after starting it, largely because most of my personal opinions have been made within the responses (by both sides oddly enough). Though the initial questions in the OP could be perceived to be loaded, I didn’t actually make any definitive statements nor did I use any buzzwords along the lines of “problem”, “accessibility” or “racism”.
To very briefly surmise a fraction of my stances;-
It is odd that there are so many non-whites who watch the sport in betting shops yet so few that actually attend.
I can’t see much that could or should be done to encourage said entities but then again, I don’t work in marketing. In keeping with the points raised in this thread, I see that non-whites are represented by the likes Rori and “Generous John”, but in the RUK literature I receive in the post and in the Racing Posts I occasionally buy, it is still very white.
It doesn’t seem to be a British phenomenon either. When I’ve visited France, the betting bars have been predominantly patronised by Africans and Arabs while the courses are, again, brilliantly white.
While not wanting to artificially inflate anything, the financial support base of the sport should be inflated by any means necessary. Even if that includes ensuring that the sport appeals to all demographics.
Although I’m (at least ideologically) on the left of the political spectrum when interested (which is very rare these days), I am often vociferously opposed to identity politics. Particularly when I’m discussing affairs with my feminist friends and often find myself using words along the lines of “finding problems where none exist”. To this end, I wonder what the predominant responses would have been had this thread existed some forty years ago and the term “white” been replaced by “male”. Indeed, while I think that the sport is incredibly progressive in terms of gender, I have heard more than one female trainer complain about it still being a bit of a boys’ club and the banter that Lizzie Kelly endured on her Morning Line appearance and indeed those playful references made by the lads on ATR about Alex Hammond wouldn’t make for comfortable viewing for prospective female viewers.
It would clearly be easier to hold the ethoses of “nothing’s stopping you” or “if you’re offended, tough titties” because that is life at it’s fairest in the chaotic sense of thinking. However, humanity has entered the digital age and it is a highly competitive one. More so when one considers the shifting demographics of the general populace. Personally, it doesn’t bother me who attends the races or watches the sport. I’m just there to watch horses and would quite happily be the only patron on the track. To have more people attend and get involved in the sport isn’t in my personal interest. Nevertheless, it is most probably in the interests of those who wish to maintain the sport as a viable financial endeavour.
I’m white, love horseracing, and don’t go racing regularly anymore. My local track Warwick was once a lively dayout, but is now like an overpriced open air morgue. The flat racing got so utterly appaling, it is a good job they gave it up.
£15 – £20 to get in to see midweek meatballs chug round is an insult.Used to go to all midlands tracks whenever they were on, but there isn’t much point now. Get maybe one decent betting race on a whole card, (sometimes the whole midweek is dreadful)then spend endless hours in traffic getting home.
Wolver on a saturday night was a must, but now the cards send me to sleep. You had the chance to see a good horse each visit. Now every card looks appaling with the usual guess which horse isn’t going to be dragging round an anchor.
Indeed, while I’m asking, is anybody reading this post “non-white”?
Yeah, Hong Kong Chinese born and bred. Far too westernised for my own good now, but still very fond of the Orient as I am of this country.
As it happens, about half the time these days I find myself assisting family in their tiny catering business outlet, which quite literally is a little more than a stone’s throw from Redcar racecourse. Even so, the number of times I have visited the course for the racing over the years can be counted on one hand, primarily for reason of disapproval of my better half, sadly :-(. Besides, I’m usually far too busy preparing, serving and/or delivering fry-ups to some hapless locals all around the racecourse! Only kidding really….
…. but those who frequent the shop do seem to like our food, fortunately.Nowadays I don’t even go in the bookies’ any more, preferring to watch the racing on TV or my laptop, in my own time. One can see and learn more, in a way, watching it on TV, I feel.
One lovely spring day, just a few years ago, I made a point of attending the races at Redcar, knowing Alistair Down had been enticed to pay his inaugural visit there. Rather surprisingly, I found myself to be the only person who bothered to look on, by the railings paddock-side, while Mr Down was being interviewed on RUK the whole time! Mr Down, if you happen to be reading this post, you may recall a casually dressed and rather ‘nosey’ Chinaman glancing on, while pretending to be studying the racing pages of his favourite tabloid at the same time.
However, there is one other popular attraction at Redcar racecourse throughout the summer months, and that is the Sunday car-boot market. Now to this, my family have absolutely no objection whatsoever! In fact, it is warmly welcomed. Indeed, they themselves can be found there every single week, without fail! Being a bit of a DIY nut myself, I love scouring the stalls for cheap tools and the like. But….psst!….there’s an even better and far bigger car-booty at Sedgefield racecourse! Lovely place (been there once for the racing, btw). So we sometimes call on both the venues, one after the other, on the same day! With me being the permanently-booked chauffeur, for my missus and the in-laws, of course!
Happy days.
By the way, come to think of it now, I can’t say I noticed any other non-white race-goer being present on the few occasions I was at Redcar races; and the one time I was at Sedgefield races, I did get some curious but thankfully warm, friendly and welcoming glances from the staff and other patrons. But then, I was so preoccupied with the horses, racing and form studying, none of this even crossed my mind at all, at the time.
Jim
I’ve deliberately left this thread alone after starting it, largely because most of my personal opinions have been made within the responses (by both sides oddly enough). Though the initial questions in the OP could be perceived to be loaded, I didn’t actually make any definitive statements nor did I use any buzzwords along the lines of “problem”, “accessibility” or “racism”.
To very briefly surmise a fraction of my stances;-
It is odd that there are so many non-whites who watch the sport in betting shops yet so few that actually attend.
I can’t see much that could or should be done to encourage said entities but then again, I don’t work in marketing. In keeping with the points raised in this thread, I see that non-whites are represented by the likes Rori and “Generous John”, but in the RUK literature I receive in the post and in the Racing Posts I occasionally buy, it is still very white.
It doesn’t seem to be a British phenomenon either. When I’ve visited France, the betting bars have been predominantly patronised by Africans and Arabs while the courses are, again, brilliantly white.
While not wanting to artificially inflate anything, the financial support base of the sport should be inflated by any means necessary. Even if that includes ensuring that the sport appeals to all demographics.
Although I’m (at least ideologically) on the left of the political spectrum when interested (which is very rare these days), I am often vociferously opposed to identity politics. Particularly when I’m discussing affairs with my feminist friends and often find myself using words along the lines of “finding problems where none exist”. To this end, I wonder what the predominant responses would have been had this thread existed some forty years ago and the term “white” been replaced by “male”. Indeed, while I think that the sport is incredibly progressive in terms of gender, I have heard more than one female trainer complain about it still being a bit of a boys’ club and the banter that Lizzie Kelly endured on her Morning Line appearance and indeed those playful references made by the lads on ATR about Alex Hammond wouldn’t make for comfortable viewing for prospective female viewers.
It would clearly be easier to hold the ethoses of “nothing’s stopping you” or “if you’re offended, tough titties” because that is life at it’s fairest in the chaotic sense of thinking. However, humanity has entered the digital age and it is a highly competitive one. More so when one considers the shifting demographics of the general populace. Personally, it doesn’t bother me who attends the races or watches the sport. I’m just there to watch horses and would quite happily be the only patron on the track. To have more people attend and get involved in the sport isn’t in my personal interest. Nevertheless, it is most probably in the interests of those who wish to maintain the sport as a viable financial endeavour.
I think that’s fair enough.
I missed that Lizzie Kelly piece thankfully but regardless of that, racing is probably the sport women like attending most of all. Having said that the juvenile misogyny on display is pathetic. The director should have ripped into the presenters over that one. If their Wives can’t stand then and They are not getting enough they should have a Sherman before the show rather than sitting there ogling and getting a half mast making lewd comments
Maybe it’s a London thing the other point I would make is that if I ran into a group I knew at th racing at sandown say, I would not for a second consider who was “non white” . It simply doesn’t register and nor should it
There is no “situation” to address.
Disagree.
As outlined above, by several posters, racing relies on brown and black faces at several levels; how many members of the BHA board or other racing bodies are non-white?
Since when does it “rely”?
Has there ever been a white Othello at The Globe? (smiley)
Bloody uncomfortable The Globe, but I can see the attraction. Think it was ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ I saw there, though I was really only concentrating on the cramp in my long legs and my numb bum
I’ve been watching ‘Dickensian’ on the Beeb and find it most enjoyable. Plenty of dark faces in it, notably The Artful Dodger; which might irk some but is quite plausible as there was a significant West Indian population in 19th century London
Likewise ‘Jericho’ on ITV which is essentially a story spun around the construction of the Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle-Carlisle railway. Bossman’s a black American and the squire’s housekeeper a dead-ringer for Mammy in ‘Gone With The Wind’
“So what” indeed
Never seen othello
I just had a pretty tasteless thought. Is th next stage tokenistic representation of raspberries at the globe? Doesn’t bear thinking about in the fight scenes does it.. Or Romeo in a wheelchair. “How doth thou ****** think I’m going to get up that ****** balcony”
Since when does it “rely”?
Since the late 1970s, as far as owners are concerned. And since the year dot as far as punters and betting shop staff go, at least in this part of the world.
For many ‘a day at the races’, does still seem to be regarded as ‘special’ or ‘posh’: witness the ladies and gents, primarily at weekends and Festivals, wholly unused to wearing such garb looking uncomfortable and self-conscious in suits and frocks, which they deem to be the ‘correct’ wear for the day. I personally quite admire this effort folk take to look ‘respectable’ as we live in a thoroughly inelegant age, but the idea that one must do this surely puts a lot off going racing
I, of course, always dress superbly but still do make a teensy-weensy bit more of an effort to look well turned out on-course i.e. polished shoes and a freshly laundered shirt. No tie however, hate the things; hence I’ve saved a fortune over the years by not qualifying to enter Members’ Enclosures
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