Love it or loathe it Sunday night racing could be here to stay – let’s not be so quick to judge
SUNDAY evening racing took place in the UK for the first time over the weekend and what struck me with the social media reaction was how little people know about the funding and structure of this fantastic sport.
So I thought it might be useful to explain one or two details in The Monday Yeeehaaa.
After all, it’s hard to make valid arguments without knowing at least a few of the facts.
Let’s start with Peter Michael (@pmichaelracing on X, formerly known as Twitter).
I won’t correct his spelling, so Peter wrote: “Whats the need for Sunday night racing? None.”
So let’s answer that. As it’s not complicated.
British racing is in dire straits. The financing is up the creek, which means prize money is poor and horses are leaving these shores.
Trainers are giving up. Owners are giving up. Jockeys are moving away. Stallions are shipped abroad.
There might be no need for Sunday racing, but those in charge have to explore avenues of income. One of those might be Sunday evening racing.
If people like having a bet on a Sunday evening, and bookmaker research suggests they do, at least in other sports, then obviously it’s important to see if there is a market out there for the product.
It’s as simple as that.
So the question Peter should have asked is: “Why might Sunday racing be good for the sport?”
And the answer would be because it could increase funds and cash is what the sport badly needs.
Of course it might not. But unless you try how do you know?
Obviously if it worked, then there would have to be adjustments for the participants because we all know everyone needs a break and there is already too much racing.
But that’s another story and conversation for the future.
I mentioned bookmakers. Again people seem totally unaware how the sport is funded.
Magnolia Bloodstock (@tom_MBS on X formerly knows as Twitter), wrote: “I’ve not come across one person in support of Sunday evening racing. The @bhahorseracing pander to the bookmakers.”
I mean get a grip. Racing only exists because of bookmakers and betting! You can’t blame the BHA for that.
Now everyone in racing with some sort of conscience would presumably sit uncomfortably that the sport only flourishes if punters lose. But that is the system.
For those of you unsure, let’s spell it out.
In Levy, bookmakers pay 10% of gross profits – not profit, as many say, as bookmakers pay media rights, tax, wages, utilities, operational costs, marketing etc before they make any profits.
It’s sad that if the Grand National favourite is stuffed then the industry rejoices, or that if all the favourites win at Royal Ascot the sport suffers.
But that is the situation we are in until someone changes it all. And how that would be possible right now is hard to fathom.
So to answer Magnolia Bloodstock again it’s a case of we don’t need Sunday racing – unless it makes more money for the sport than other days.
On that score, the powers that be will get actual turnover and gross profit for each race, and won’t be reliant on anecdotal reports.
It will be important to compare those figures with the right equivalents, in other words not using fixtures that are too good or too weak.
I hope that helps some of you a little bit.
We all might not need Sunday night racing. We all might need it. That’s why there is a trial.
What is certain is that as I have said time and time again until the financing and fixture list is sorted the future for British racing is bleak.
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