RACING

The prospect of Paul Bittar’s departure from the BHA is a source of great sadness. Before he was even in the hot seat, in 2011, he had taken stock of the Whip controversy and sorted it out. One lived in hope (expectation, even) that he would do the same to all racing’s ailments. Three years hasn’t been long enough, but he leaves racing all the better for his innings. He has welcomed the bookmakers to the top table, where they belong, he has preached unity to racing’s other stakeholders who seem to have paid attention (if they don’t deliver, it will not be his fault), he leaves the industry’s relationship with government in better shape than it was, and he has identified a number of policies and areas which, if properly managed, could benefit racing’s financial situation.

I hope BHA chairman Steve Harman is a great man. He will need to be, if there is a delay in the appointment of Bittar’s replacement and he is left holding the baby. It was during the inter-regnum before Bittar took up his tenure that Mr Cameron sold the Tote to Fred Done, completely ignoring the reason which inspired Winston Churchill to create that institution – in order that Racing should have its own access to income from betting.

I don’t entirely blame Paul Roy (the then chairman) for what happened. There were half a dozen syndicates scurrying to and fro in their efforts to buy the Tote “for the good of Racing.” However each syndicate’s concern for the sport was conditional on it being allowed to get its hands on the highly lucrative job of owning the business. The idea of one mega and probably unbeatable bid – “for the good of Racing” – was conspicuous by its absence.

And after the dirty deed was done (Mr Cameron should hang his head in shame), all one heard from the leading figures among racing’s stakeholders was “Oh, but we understood that we were going to be given the Tote.” Oh dear, how very sad.

Talking of which, I would like to make a suggestion. If asked to nominate the best person Mr Harman could talk to on a regular basis it would be Mr Fred Done, for three reasons: first, he seems to like the sport; second, his business interests would perhaps be improved if racing’s finances were to get better; third, he has shown such intelligence, determination and energy. Churchill would have asked him to join his war cabinet – and refused to take “No” for an answer.

OBESITY

In Donec’s determination to make humans lighter and fitter, we were planning an e-chapter on joints (as in “ankles” rather than “spliffs”). The proposed tract would suggest that a large percentage of hip and knee replacements are necessary because people haven’t taken enough exercise.

Before going into print I had an unplanned meeting with my health expert on the Marlborough downs.  He heard what I had to say and told me to forget it. In fact, apart from injuries and accidents, most joints simply wear out in the fullness of time through normal activity. So “more exercise will cause your joints to last longer” would be a fallacy.

Sadly I conjured up my thesis from the bowels of the computer and consigned it to oblivion with a sigh. Hardly had that sigh misted up the screen when I yelped the word “Lubrication!”  If work wears out joints, proper lubrication might well slow down the process.

At present this is something about which Donec knows nothing, but that is going to change, and when it does you will be the first to get the news.  In the meantime check your footwear: trainers do lose their “cushion” over a period of time, which means increased jarring, which is part of the wearing-out process referred to above. It’s like running horses on hard ground – some of them don’t appreciate it.

Here is an optional extra: between stages in the exercise program (Sport 33), it is possible (convenient even) to practice golf shots (without a club): full swing, chips, bunker and putts. I imagine other pastimes could be adapted to add charm to the rigours of callisthenics.

Incidentally we recently received an email from a 78-year-old who announced that he has just got engaged to an 18-year-old gymnast (female). “It was the high kicks that done it!” he revealed, referring to suggestions we offered in Sport 33. Let this be a warning to us all. Do please use your new-found sexual charisma responsibly.

CHANNEL 4 RACING (Part 2)

IF you spend five minutes in racing you don’t learn much, but one fact of life is sure to become obvious. Ideally a “hold up” horse would like the race to be run at a brisk pace, so that the leaders will be suffering when it (the hold-up horse) makes its move from the rear, where it has been saving its energy.

Equally obvious is the reverse side of that coin: if the pace is a slow one, or becomes a slow one comparatively early in the race, the likelihood is that the leaders will not fall in a heap towards the end. Therefore, in that situation the rider of the “hold up” horse should improve his position to “mid div” so that he won’t have so much ground to make up when he swoops to conquer opponents who are still running strongly.

The other day C4 featured a race which was an object lesson in how to get it wrong. The hold-up horse took its place at the rear, the pace turned into a crawl (which was noticed by the C4 commentator), the hold-up jockey did not advance to a position nearer the front, the leaders kept going and the hold-up horse’s eventual charge was impressive but unavailing.

In the immediate aftermath, Rishi Persad suggested that the jockey’s performance left a certain amount to be desired. In the ivory tower pundit Cunningham (an expert from way back) tended to agree, but needed to see the “split times” to check if and when and how the speed of the race had changed, and pundit McGrath (another top man) seemed to share his approach to the matter. Whereupon Mr Luck (lead presenter, with whose history I am unfamiliar) declared that it was “just one of those things” and that the jockey was blameless. At this point criticism evaporated like snow on a south-facing slope in August.

Where is all this going? This way.  Under the old regime this discussion would have turned into an argument, insults and witticism would have been exchanged, and there might even have been signs of temperament. Difference of opinion is an essential feature of the racing scene and needs free range. In this case a bit of a row would have made good television and would have allowed the viewer to learn something about one of the more interesting aspects of race-riding.

BOOKS

No life is complete, in my opinion, if it has not included many readings of Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, either in the original French, or in Anthony Burgess’s English translation.  Cyrano was turned into a magnificent film some years ago, starring Gerard Depardieu as the man with the big nose. What’s it about? A man with a soul, and a passion for honour, duty, art, space travel (an inhabited moon, no less), duelling, language, humour and love – and a very unbeautiful schnozzle which undermines his otherwise rampant self-confidence when he finds his dream girl. It’s gorgeous, and uplifting, and funny, and sad, and delightful.

GREAT NORTH RUN

Sunday 7^th September, BBC TV.

Last year this wonderful event was marred by the antics of the winner, Kenenisa Bekele, who zig-zagged all over the track to block Mo Farah’s attempts to get past him. And he got away with it. If there is a repeat of this performance, and he isn’t disqualified, the event will go from the “wonderful” to the “cheap and nasty” in approximately 200 yards. Brendan Foster, take note! Donec has emailed a warning to the management.

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL

There was unanimity round the Donec boardroom table when it was suggested that Sheikh Hamdan was an outstanding asset to the human race and to British racing. He is clearly a man who knows a great deal about the thoroughbred. He has his own ideas about the management of his horses, and those ideas have brought him a high level of success over many years. Perhaps most indicative of the quality of the man is the fact that he seems to inspire genuine affection as well as respect from everybody who has anything to do with him.

Item number two. We would suggest that there are more good jockeys riding in Britain and throughout Europe than there have ever been. I was watching a race at Sandown yesterday with the sound off and I saw this little fellow deliver a challenge up the Sandown hill (a disaster area for so many good jockeys) with the most immaculate timing. “Who is that?” I asked myself and pressed buttons. It turned out to be Maxime Guyon who had popped over from France to ride a winner for Monsieur Fabre. What a treat! And he is one of many.

Thirdly, the Sandown hill is also a reason to be cheerful, because the number of people to whom it has given intense pleasure and excitement over more than a hundred years is vastly greater than the number of those who have been crushed (temporarily, one hopes) by its inflexible severity towards those who show insufficient respect.

All best wishes.

DONEC