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RIZE-MONEY. Ever since I have been aware of the politics of British horseracing it has been a divisive topic declared to be too low by some, while by others – first bookmakers and now racecourses – impossible to be
improved. British prize-money has been the laughing stock of the world for years now; it is not necessarily a COVIDrelated issue but definitely an important factor that has been exacerbated by the global pandemic and was not in a strong enough position to withstand the pressures brought on by this year. On my first trip to the December international meeting at Sha Tin, some 10 years ago now, the media bus returning from the racetrack to the hotel was overrun by a group of loud Ozzie horsemen, trainers and owners. They decided to chat to the girl in the corner seat. My reply “from Britain” to their opening gambit “Where are you from?” was responded by a laugh and the comment: “We don’t know how your Brit trainers survive the prize-money is so sxxt!” I didn’t really have a response, but to shrug my shoulders and join the laughter. I know if I had retorted in my best Pom voice: “But our racing is the best in the world, we have fabulous Turf racecourses that test every facet of a racehorse and a 200-year history” the antipodean giggles would have turned into raucous laughter. Since then some prize-money improvements have been secured – the battle with the bookmakers as regards offshore betting income has been successfully concluded and for a time there were some positive vibes that could be built on. However, as ever with British racing, the issue took so long to reach a conclusion that by the time things had been reconciled, other factors had begun to impact – the unresolved debate over media rights and even the long-planned reform of the Levy have recently been overtaken by the global pandemic, and threat of recession. There is such a misconception in Britain as to the role prize-money plays, the importance of maintaining respectable levels. It is easier to go through point by point in order to make things clear but, before I head down a role of explanation, I have one thing to get off my chest. Those who say that “owners don’t do it for the money” are a little deluded, talking out of their xxxx; and quite frankly just making excuses for the status quo. In Britain the continuing loss of the owner-breeder has everything to do with money, and it is ridiculous to argue otherwise.
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www.internationalthoroughbred.net
Prize-money: why is it so important? The need for respectable levels of prize-money in British racing is still not really understood. We look at some of the drivers behind the need for sensible funding and argue that it is time British Racing PLC was established Should racehorse ownership in Britain really resemble just a way to burn up the cash?
Let’s face it a lot of people own racehorse for their egos; the racehorse is an outward show of that ego
So here we go BHA and the reasons why differing ownership groups value good prize-money. 1. It is good for the ego. Let’s face it a lot of people own racehorses for their egos; the racehorse is an outward show of that ego. If, after a racecourse win, our owner heads to the pub or the boardroom, meets friends or colleagues who just take the mickey because his or her middle-of-the-road type has not picked up more than the cost of long weekend in a middle-class hotel; sadly our owner’s ego is rapidly crushed. In fact, it is often squashed before then as horses tend to lose more races than they win. But for our poor owner to even be subject to piss-
