Mr Paul Bittar’s reaction to the whip problem has been a marvel to behold. One “Comment” in the Racing Post said “He’s the best Ozzie to come to England since Scobie Breasley.” Absolutely right. He may even turn out to be in the Bradman class.

Let us not forget that the whip business is merely the tip of the iceberg as regards the difficulties which Mr Bittar is being asked to deal with. In the last decade, largely through lack of proper leadership, the Sport of Kings has seen the “racing data” initiative mishandled and abandoned, and has surrendered the Tote without a shot being fired in its defence. In addition, funding is at an all-time low, as are relations with the betting industry on which that funding depends.  Finally, a large percentage of the racing programme is rubbish horses competing for rubbish prizes simply to provide betting opportunities for bookmakers who seem to be allergic to the idea of increasing their contribution to the sport to a reasonable level. They can’t help it – it’s in their genes. So it may not be long before Mr Bittar looks back on the whip crisis as a joyride.

Lack of proper leadership – a comment which cannot be made without some justification. I would suggest that never in racing’s history has the sport’s governing body consisted of so much dead wood, possibly as a result of arcane practises inherited from the Jockey Club with regard to recruitment. Whatever the reason, the whip difficulties illustrate the principle that dead wood does not make a head man’s task any easier.

Mr Bittar worked for the British Horseracing Board (predecessor of the BHA) in 2004/5, so he knows all about the problems that he faces. He then returned to the Antipodes and was enormously successful in his work for racing authorities in New Zealand and in Australia.

The fact that he decided to return to Britain’s “can of worms” is nothing less than a miracle, and miracles don’t happen all that often. Consequently I go down on my knees and beg all the usual suspects (owners, breeders, trainers, racecourses, bookmakers [in spite of those genes] and betting exchanges) to give him unswerving support. This means breaking  the habit of a lifetime and putting the wellbeing of the industry as a whole ahead of each group’s selfish  interests.

It’s a huge ask, for people who are set in their ways and far more comfortable fighting among themselves. But please, just this once, bury a multitude of hatchets and determine not to waste the glorious possibilities (far beyond the just desserts of the usual suspects) that may well emerge from the present situation.

Andrew Simpson

February 26th 2012