Baaeed after recording win no 10 at York last week© Photo Healy Racing
Last week I was involved in a video show on our Jump To It channel which caused a little bit of a stir. Myself, Johnny Ward and Emma Nagle took a look at the world of Racing Clubs and Syndicates and some of those involved in the administration of these ventures felt we hadn’t portrayed them entirely fairly.
The basic thrust of our show was that these groups offer a crucial entry point to the sport for those interested in dipping their toe into horse ownership, but that Horse Racing Ireland should take a firmer grip on the regulation of these Clubs and Syndicates, particularly in light of historical problems in this area with Supreme Racing Club, but also because there is such a varied range of options available.
What is apparent from my subsequent discussions with some of those involved in running these Clubs and Syndicates is that they have great passion for the sport and put in a lot of time and effort into their groups without much financial reward.
It was refreshing to hear from people with such a deep love for horse racing and hear stories of the joy that these Clubs bring to their members. It was also nice to hear that they have regular support and engagement from the Ownership department of HRI.
The crux of the problem remains however - not all Syndicates and Clubs are the same. Some, like the ones I spoke to, are run in a similar way to GAA Clubs or Golf Clubs with racing fans looking after the administration, while others are simply commercial ventures designed to piggyback on the ‘ownership experience.’
HRI currently bundles all these groups together under the one banner and then expects prospective new owners, who by their nature have no knowledge or understanding of this aspect of the sport, to fend for themselves and make their own individual choices.
When a racing fan gets to the point that they are contemplating getting involved in some form of ownership or racing Club, the industry should be there to guide them through this potential minefield in order to ensure that each of these individuals has the best possible initial experience.
If you had a teenage son or daughter that was going to buy their first car you wouldn’t send them out of the house with a wad of cash and hope for the best.
In an ideal world there would be some type of mentorship programme put in place to guide and advise these rookie owners, but at the very least HRI should segment the 24 Syndicates and Clubs they currently promote into distinct categories with all their individual T&Cs clearly displayed.
The trend of falling attendances at Irish race meetings will again come into focus next month with Irish Champions Weekend. The flagship event has thus far failed to capture the imagination of the general public despite offering top class racing over two days at Leopardstown and the Curragh.
The prospect of the unbeaten Baaeed lining up in the Irish Champion Stakes on the opening afternoon at Leopardstown could certainly buck that trend. The colt was already making waves before his scintillating performance in the Juddmonte International Stakes last week at York elevated him to superstar status.
9,500 people turned up to see Sea The Stars win the 2009 renewal of the race, but it would be very disappointing if his unbeaten son couldn’t draw a larger crowd should he get the green light from connections to travel over.
Trainer William Haggas has mapped out the British Champion Stakes at Ascot in October as the colt’s final race and the Irish equivalent would look like the obvious penultimate run. That is of course presuming connections don’t get swayed by public opinion that a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc is worth the risk.
17,000 attended the 2001 clash between Fantastic Light and Galileo at Leopardstown and there is the potential to get somewhere near that number again if Baaeed is confirmed to run. Racing fans would surely turn out in big numbers to see a star of this magnitude on Irish soil.
The Summer Festivals have done pretty well on the crowds front this year, in no small part due to the good weather. There certainly looked to be a good buzz at both Tramore and Killarney in recent weeks and if the weather holds into next month Listowel should see that positive trend continue.
