by @NiamhTownsend
It's safe to say that racing has faced its fair share of disruption this year, whether it be snow, ground conditions or equine flu, but now the industry is faced with a problem that has been bubbling away under the surface for a long time now and as action is being taken, it has caused many controversial issues on both sides of the argument.
The decision by the government to cut the maximum FOBT stake from £100 to £2 will cause many betting shops to close, cutting the amount of money in the industry down as well as putting many racecourses under pressure. ARC has faced much criticism in the past for its lack of prize money on offer, and the decision it announced in December to cut back on its offerings towards prize money has been met with much opposition by many within the industry.
Many trainers retain a share in the horses they train, and therefore they rely on the prize money these horses win to allow their operations to continue functioning and moving forwards. The problem arises when that prize money is not enough to sustain the needs of all parties involved in keeping horses in training, and since ARC and other independent courses have chosen to cut prize money funds this year it has now reached a point where many trainers deem action to be necessary. At Lingfield on Wednesday, only 17 declarations have been made on their 6 race card in response as well as boycotts at Southwell and Fontwell this week. This has split opinions across the racing industry, with many supporting the boycott and others opposing it, anxious to get racing running smoothly again. This split has caused tensions to rise between owners, trainers, and jockeys, with many concerned their decisions regarding whether to join the boycott or not may impact opportunities offered to them in the future.
Jockeys have also faced a lot of backlash in response to their decisions to take rides at boycotted race meets, with Danny Brock making headlines this week based on his decisions to ride at Lingfield on Wednesday. Viewing the situation from the opposite side of the table, Brock argues that he must ride to earn the money he requires to pay off his mortgage and support his children, as well as backing the owners and trainers who have given him opportunities to ride and therefore earn a living. While he recognises and fully understands the importance of the boycott for the future of the sport, he also views the importance of supporting those trainers who are choosing to back him.
On Tuesday, Nico de Boinville announced on Twitter, "I fully support the current ARC boycott. However, I feel obliged to ride for one of my main stables tomorrow." This pretty much sums up the pressure from both sides that jockeys face – they have to earn a living as well, yet want to see the best outcome for the future and sustainability of racing. It must be added that De Boinville has very kindly decided to donate his riding fee to the Injured Jockeys Fund. At another boycotted course on Sunday, Sedgefield, Donald McCain ran his own Wasowski in the finale on the card which turned out to be a walkover, also choosing to donate the £3,500 of prize money to the Injured Jockey's Fund.
In order to get the support back from trainers, it appears that the ARC must maintain a decent pot for the best races so as not to affect their prestige, while also increasing their investment in the lower levels to support those hard workers who keep racing alive. This appears easier said than done though, since there is simply not enough money available to make everyone happy.
The racing boycott will extend from the 6th-8th of March, and will see trainers avoid entering their horses in races at racecourses owned by ARC. With very few runners, it will hardly make for thrilling thoroughbred action, understandably frustrating many fans. This week, negotiations are set to take place regarding the issue and I'm sure many will have their fingers crossed that a suitable agreement for all can be reached.
Martin Smith has very kindly answered some questions regarding the boycott and how the situation can be resolved:
What is your opinion on the racing boycott?
I agree with the reasons behind it, prize money has been far too low for far too long. When you look at what it costs to purchase a nice horse and train them it's a complete insult to be competing for a couple of grand, regardless of the level you're competing at. The cut in prize money by ARC was just the straw that broke the camel's back and therefore people have boycotted some of their meetings but it doesn't solve the problem and the way some people have behaved just because someone had their own opinions is quite frankly despicable.
How do you think the ARC prize money cuts could have been handled differently?
I'm not sure ARC are the type of company that can be reasoned with easily, ultimately it's the responsibility of the BHA to protect the interest of its licensed participants and the public who we sell our sport to. Unfortunately however, they have no control over the most of the race planning, any of the media rights or the betting on horse racing.
What do you think the long term implications could be if the boycott continues?
I don't think the boycott will continue beyond this week, the majority of the trainers calling for it are encouraging other trainers to withhold from running in races they won't miss competing in themselves so it's not a viable solution in the long run.
How do you think an appropriate solution can be reached?
The solution should be for all media rights deals to be handled centrally and for all the money to be distributed fairly and go back into the sport rather than the pockets of greedy shareholders.
What should be done to prevent something like this happening in the future?
Again, more prize money needs to be available so it's a more attractive proposition for people to own racehorses in the UK.
And finally, ahead of the Cheltenham Festival next week, who do you think will produce the best performance at the Festival?
I can't wait for Cheltenham, it's one of the highlights of the year for anyone who has an interest in National Hunt racing. Unfortunately I won't have a runner this year so I'll be watching it from the comfort of my sofa (or the pub!). I'm sure the Irish boys will be bringing some superstars over but being English I'm going to back my own side, I'd like to see my neighbour Amy Murphy's Kalashnikov on top but I think Glen Forsa will take some beating in the Arkle.
Thank you very much for your time, Martin! In terms of this week's Naps League, Lingfield will not be included tomorrow due to the lack of runners – we don't want to make it too easy for you all! In addition to this, this Sunday (the 10th of March) at 4:30pm I am holding a 'Cheltenham Chat' evening on Twitter which will give you the chance to discuss everything related with the Cheltenham Festival with other racing fans and share your opinions on all of the big races next week. I hope to hear from you!
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