A Greek Racing Tragedy

Article by Paull Khan

It was a bitter blow when, on January 31st, 2024, Horse Races SA, the Company which had been running racing at Greece’s sole racetrack for the past eight years, announced its immediate closure. The news followed hot on the heels of similar events in Singapore and Macau and underlined the fragility of our sport in many parts of the world.

The announcement referred to the Concession Agreement, between the Greek Government and Horse Racing SA’s parent Company, the Czech-owned O.P.A.P., under which Horse Races SA leased the site of Athens’ Markopoulo Racecourse and was given the exclusive right to stage races there. But, if the numbers of horses in training fell below 300, it was able to terminate the arrangement. At the time of the announcement, the number had dwindled to 172. According to the press release, this was despite investment of over €32 million by the Company, whose losses over the period of operation were given as €103 million.

The agreement also gave OPAP the concession to offer pari-mutuel betting, not only on Greek races, but on horseracing world-wide, and the Company clarified that they would continue to offer betting on foreign racing.

By the time of publication, it is understood that the racecourse will have been handed back to the liquidators. OPAP has offered subsidies on the costs of travelling the horses from their previous home in the racecourse stables to other Greek destinations. An appeal to neighbouring Cyprus, to absorb many of them, is understood to have fallen foul of Cypriot racing’s policy only to accept unraced animals. Some have already moved to Poland and Romania, but the future for many is unclear. The EMHF has written to the Greek Government, seeking comfort that due consideration is given to Greek racing’s participants, both equine and human. 

The EMHF has also offered to assist in matching jockeys, work-riders and others, who find themselves suddenly without employment, with member Racing Authorities who report difficulties in sourcing experienced and competent staff.

The fortunes of Greek racing have yo-yoed through the course of this century. The previous track, Faliron, was situated at a coastal site, within easy range of Athens centre. It was vibrant, housing over 1,700 horses and attracted crowds of 15,000. After the Athens Olympics, the venue for the equestrian events – some 37 kms distant – became Markopoulo Racecourse. While its grandstand was, and remains, impressive, attracting crowds to Markopoulo has always been an uphill struggle. The economic crisis of 2008 came as a hammer blow, and by 2015, when the globe-trotting Australian administrator, Fin Powrie, was appointed as Horse Races SA’s Director of Racing, numbers of horses in training had dwindled to below the key figure of 300. By the time of Powrie’s departure – for Malaysia – those numbers had climbed again, exceeding 500.

“I was given a pretty free hand when it came to the racing product”, recalls Powrie. “We introduced a number of initiatives, including the supplemented purchase of good quality young horses from Tattersalls, ratings-based handicapping, inclusion on the International Cataloguing Standards ‘Blue Book’ and membership of the EMHF, all of which helped to raise the profile of the sport”. 

So where, in his view, did things go wrong?  “The decline in horses really set in around 2020. In 2019, the then Government allowed Horse Races SA to merge with its parent Company, OPAP. This, in turn, would have allowed the offsetting of the racecourse’s losses and significant rental commitments against the overall business’s tax. However, shortly after that the Government changed, and the new Government revoked that law. Development plans for diversifying the usage of the racecourse’s land also fell by the wayside.

“It was then a downward spiral – field sizes dropped, as did prize money, news and media coverage, which was never grand, simply ceased. People probably thought, ‘it’s a great big grandstand, it’s cold, it’s ordinary, there’s nothing else there for the kids’. And COVID didn’t help at all, of course”.

The concession only granted the exclusive right to stage racing at Markpolulo. It was, and still is, perfectly possible for others to start up racing at another Greek venue. However, this may be a big ask given the current climate of public opinion. The view has been expressed that public reaction to this closure has been very different from that which would have been the case a generation ago, with many taking the view: ‘maybe that’s just as well’.  Powrie concludes “Personally, I doubt whether we will see the resuscitation of professional racing at some other track in the country”. 

The international racing community must hope that this is not the case and that, somehow, somewhere, the sport’s flame can flicker once again in Greece.

2023 Champion Trainer profiles - Peter Schiergen (Germany) / Kadir Baltaci (Turkey) / Claudia Erni (Switzerland)

NATIONAL CHAMPION TRAINERS IN FOCUS

In this issue, we take a look at some more of Europe’s champion national trainers, courtesy of the latest data compiled by Dr Marian Surda, doyen of Slovakian racing.

A notable feature of the tables, when comparing the last two years, is the infrequency of trainers retaining their crowns. Only in 7 of the 18 countries that featured in both years did this happen (France, Jean-Claude Rouget; Ireland, Aidan O’Brien; Spain, Guillermo Arizkorreta; Germany, Peter Schiergen; Norway, Niels Petersen and Greece, Charalambos Charalambus). The baton changed in all other countries, including in Great Britain, the country whose trainer earned the most money, for the second year running. This time, that trainer was the father and son combination of John and Thady Gosden, who wrested the title from Charlie Appleby.

Among the jockeys, Maxim Guyon, in France and William Buick, in Britain headed the table once again. But the dominance of the big three countries – France, Britain and Ireland – was interrupted by an extraordinary performance by Turkey’s Champion, 20-year-old Vedat Abis, who clocked up a remarkable 283 wins – far more than any of his fellow champions.

Our featured trainers this year are Peter Schiergen (Germany / 5th in the table), Kadir Baltaci (Turkey / 6th) and Claudia Erni (Switzerland / 11th).

PETER SCHIERGEN

The name of Peter Schiergen is a familiar one across the European racing scene and beyond, with Group wins in France, Britain, Italy and Dubai as well as his native Germany. At time of writing, that Group race tally stands at 199. Champion Trainer in Germany no fewer than eight times (2002, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2015, 2021, 2022 and 2023), with six German Derby wins to his name (Boreal 2001, Schiaparelli 2006, Kamsin 2008, Lucky Speed 2013, Nutan 2015 and Sammarco 2022), his crowning single achievement remains his Arc win with Danedream in 2011.

But before becoming one of the most successful German trainers of recent generations, Peter had been one of his country’s most successful jockeys. His outstanding record in the saddle encompassed five jockeys’ championships – 1992 to 1996 – and nearly 1500 wins, including a record 271 successes in 1995.

I asked Peter about his journey into racing and what had led to his becoming a jockey at the age of 16. “I always wanted to become a show jumper. My plan was just to do my apprenticeship in racing and after that to go back to show jumping. But it turned out differently and I had quite a bit of success as an apprentice and stayed in the game”. 

The transition from jockey to trainer (taking over from fellow legend Heinz Jentzsch in 1998) was made at a younger age – just 33 – than is often the case.

“The opportunity came up to take over from Heinz Jentsch. I knew that this was a huge chance and even though it was quite early I decided to take over. I started in 1998 in Köln and still train there today. In 2009 we built a new stable next to the old one so that’s really the main thing that has changed”. 

“I had a great time as a jockey and was five consecutive years champion jockey and broke the European record in 1995. But the owners didn’t give me the chance to ride in the big races abroad such as Lando in the Japan Cup. This is something I don’t want to happen to my stable jockeys and therefore I use them both in Germany and abroad. 

What does Schiergen consider the pros and cons of training on the track? “The horses are used to the racetrack. A great benefit is that it’s easier to get staff. Furthermore, the racecourse is in charge of preparing the training facilities.  A disadvantage would be that we have certain times at which we must be at the track, as there are many trainers who use the facilities. On a private track you have more peace”. 

“The team consists of 25 staff. It gets more and more difficult to get good staff and competent work riders. We have a great team and many people have been staff members for many years. There are plenty of Germans working with us. Other than Germans, most of the staff tend to be from the eastern European countries such as Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria etc.”. 

When asked which trainer he admires the most, Schiergen replies: “I didn’t have a jockey I admired the most when I was a jockey, and now, as a trainer, neither do I have a trainer I would single out as admiring. I look at many others and try to take the best of each”.

“The state of racing in Germany isn’t great, but there are many ambitious people who are trying to bring the sport back to better times. It’s difficult with social change and especially the animal welfare movement. Racing’s lobby sometimes appears to be too weak to work against these forces. Therefore, we need a change. It’s difficult to compare our racing jurisdiction to other countries. We don’t have training facilities such as Newmarket or Chantilly.”

As well as the 200 Group race milestone, Schiergen has another in his sights. Ending last year on 1,907 wins on the flat and 31 over jumps, it is a real possibility that he could send out his 2,000th winner this year. “Certainly is a milestone and a great achievement. But it is more important to win big races.”

KADIR BALTACI

Kadir Baltaci’s 31 wins last year came at the hooves of just 37 individual starters (his stable currently houses just 30 horses in training). His tally included seven domestic Group races, including three at Group 1. 

From Baltaci’s base in Turkey’s capital, Ankara, it is a long haul to the tracks where he does most of his racing: a 5-hour drive north-west takes him to the nation’s racing headquarters, Veliefendi in Istanbul, or a lengthier run yet in the opposite direction finds the track in Adana.

“I was born in Adana”, Baltaci begins. “I lived in Adana until 2010. Adana is my city, my place but Ankara is now ‘my city’ and ‘my place’, where I live with my two sons and my wife. Though I train my horses here, when they are ready to race I mostly prefer to run in Istanbul because of the classic and other big races that are run at Veliefendi racecourse”. 

“I began as an Assistant Trainer in 2011. After spending seven seasons as an Assistant, I started training in my own right, in 2017.

“When I was at high school, I was best friends with the son of the owner of the famous Turkish-Arabian horse Nurhat. I often went with my friend to (Adana’s) Yesiloba Racecourse to see the horse. As a child, I loved the horses. I used to watch racing on the television, especially the classic and GAZI races. 

“Workwise, I started out working at my father's painting company, but it collapsed. I then worked as a driver for one of my now-owners, Mr Fedai Kahraman. When working as his driver, he often used to send me to the races at Ankara, in order to help his trainer out. After a couple of years, he asked me if I would move to the track to assist the trainer. I said ‘yes’ and that’s how my journey started. 

“I don’t have a private training centre. Like all trainers in Turkey, I must be based at one of the Jockey Club racecourses. We chose Ankara for the wintertime: because the racetrack is empty then, I can easily prepare my horses.

“I have 20 people working for me. My staff are all Turkish. We did try employees of other nationalities, but I did not like the way they worked. Most of my crew have been with me since I started training. Because we have been working together for so long, it is a great relief to me that they know exactly what I want. It is hard to find new people to take care of horses. Really hard. I have five exercise riders. You can find exercise riders very easily, but most are not proficient. The Jockey Club of Turkey trains exercise riders. One of mine came from there – he graduated last year. But they are young and need time to learn the job properly. We have also got a broader problem with finding stable staff generally. Not only me, other trainers have the same problem”.

To date, Baltaci has ventured abroad to race but once, sending a runner to Meydan to contest the Grade 2 Cape Verdi and Ballanchine Stakes. “I believe my horses will run more often abroad. My big ambition is to run in - and win - a European Classic.

“We are not well educated about training practices in other countries, so I will not make comparisons. All I would say is that many are lucky to have private training facilities. I think our trainers probably spend more time in nursing horses which have suffered minor injuries back into racing”.

Baltaci places much hope for the future in Serdal Adali, Adana-born President of the Turkish Jockey Club. “Mr Serdal Adali is spending time ensuring a better future for us. I believe he will succeed. Then my countrymen will be more interested in racing outside of Turkey.”    

Balaci’s strike rate, particularly at the top level, is impressive indeed, but he is modest when asked to explain the secret of his success. “It’s down to the efforts of everyone, from my horse owner to my team. That's why I can't give any specific reasons for my success. I have 30 in training right now. Thirty different horses, which all act differently, and that is why I train each horse differently”.

CLAUDIA ERNI

Over in Switzerland, there has seen a changing of the guard. After several years of domination by Miro Weiss, there is a new woman in town. Step forward, Claudia Erni. Her yard of 20 horses – ranging from 2yo’s to a 10yo sprinter and stayer, ranks fourth by size within the country, but in 2023 punched above its weight to capture the championship.

“I grew up with horses. My father had a riding school. I took part in some national dressage competitions. My father’s girlfriend was in racing, and this was how I found my way into racing. I rode as an amateur, both on the flat and over jumps, and also held an amateur training license before taking out my professional trainer’s licence in 2006”.

“I am also a physical therapist and still devote two afternoons a week to working in this profession”.

Erni trains from Switzerland’s westernmost racetrack, Avenches, south of Lake Neuchatel. This impressive complex (a good idea of which can be gleaned from www.iena.ch), extends to 140 hectares/350 acres and accommodates multiple equine disciplines. It is important to the finances of Swiss racing, many of its race days being taken by the French betting operator, PMU.

“It is really nice to train here. We have a lot of space. We have two tracks of 1600m and 1800m circumference, with paddocks and a horse-walker. And I am almost alone here! At present, I have four employees, from France, Switzerland and Chechia. I do find it difficult to find good riders. For so many, money is more important than passion - sad, but that’s how it is”.

“My owners have been in the business for a long time. It is difficult to find young owners. But I am fortunate, in that mine came to me – I didn’t have to go looking for them!”

“I often race in France, Germany and Italy, when the owners allow it. I love Longchamp. We are very close to France – for example, it takes just three hours to reach Lyon.”

And what of the outlook for the sport in her country?  “As in every country, racing in Switzerland is getting harder. It is harder to find sponsors and new owners, and the number of racehorses is reducing. The Swiss racing authority is trying to find ways to increase the popularity of the sport. Maybe, jockeys will be prevented in future from using the whip?”

Updates from the EMHF and we learn about Europe's latest beach racecourse - Zahara de los Atunes

Article by Paull Khan

The European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation first started providing regular articles for European Trainer back in 2016. I thought, after eight years, it was time to have a look ‘under the bonnet’ of the federation, to see how it works.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING, MADRID, SPAIN OCTOBER 14th

The Executive Council of the EMHF comprises nine members, elected by our General Assembly from among its members. The ‘ExCo’ sets the policy tone of the federation, agrees its budget and what the membership fees should be, etc. ExCo members elect, from amongst their own number, the EMHF’s Chair and its three Vice-Chairs. 

Brian Kavanagh, now CEO of The Curragh Racecourse and formerly CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, has held the position of EMHF Chair since its inception, in 2010. Brian has indicated that he will stand down at the end of his current term, in mid-2025.

Your correspondent has served as the EMHF’s Secretary-General since 2012. There are no employees, although we do receive valuable help from Horse Racing Ireland, which provides resources for invoicing and handling the Federation’s finances.

Our Vice-Chairs are Rudiger Schmanns, Racing Director at Deutsche Galopp, representing EU countries, Julie Harrington, CEO at the British Horseracing Authority, representing non-EU European countries and Omar Skalli, serving for Mediterranean and Other countries. Rudiger and Omar are, like Brian, founding members of the ExCo.

The other members of the ExCo represent France (Henri Pouret), Poland (Jakub Kasprzak), Norway (Liv Kristiansen), Spain (Paulino Ojanguren Saez) and the Channel Islands, whose Jonathan Perree, in May, became the only person to be re-elected back on to the council, having also served between 2016 and 2019. Three countries – France, Great Britain and Ireland, enjoy automatic representation within ExCo. The other six ExCo places are filled by process of election.

ExCo deliberations span the full range of the responsibilities of our member Racing Authorities – governance, regulation, marketing, financial, legal, social, etc. Specific reports are received from the EMHF’s standing Political and Legislative Committee, together with the committees which sit within the EMHF umbrella – the European Pattern Committee (EPC) and European Horserace Scientific Liaison Committee (EHSLC). The EMHF has also created two special interest associations, the European Beach Racing Association and the European Pony Racing Association.

Much of the Political and Legislative Committee’s work concerns keeping alert to forthcoming legislation, whether within the EU or elsewhere, which may have a bearing on racing. Very often, this centres on the potential unintended consequences of changes which are being suggested with the best intentions. For example, animal health and welfare laws which are drafted with farm animals in mind and are not suited to horses. It was in this context that the EMHF led a delegation to Brussels in the summer, to impress upon policy-makers a number of potential pitfalls in the European Commission’s review of Welfare in Transport.

The European Pattern Committee’s  work is not limited to deciding which races across Europe qualify as Group 1, 2, 3 or Listed. The EPC  is constantly alive to trends, identifying any areas where the quality of European racing may be under threat or in decline – staying races, perhaps - and agreeing race planning policy initiatives designed to address these by influencing, over time, the behaviour of owners, breeders or trainers.

Doping and medication control sit at the core of the EHSLC’s remit, whether in the detection of substances prohibited at all times, or in the regulation of those therapeutic substances which need to be controlled. Alongside this, increasingly being raised are matters relating to horse welfare more widely and on which a pan-European response and approach is sought. The Chief Veterinary Officers of the major European Racing Authorities sit on the EHSLC and therefore steps are being taken to expand its brief to cover such issues.

At our most recent ExCo Meeting, which took place on October 14th in Madrid, we received a presentation on the report recently published by Horse Racing Ireland, in conjunction with Deloitte, ‘Social and Economic Impact on Irish Breeding and Racing, 2023’. As its title implied, this study took a broader view than the previous HRI/Deloitte report had done – not simply looking at economic factors, but also identifying the considerable and varied social benefits that racing brings, especially to those living in rural areas. This message had resonated strongly in Irish political circles and it was felt that this approach could profitably be replicated by other countries.

At each meeting, the ExCo agrees the shape of the EMHF’s educational programme over the coming twelve months. Last year featured two very successful events: an inaugural EuroMed Stewards’ Conference, hosted by the British Horseracing Authority, and a seminar on Racecourse Surface Management hosted by France Galop. It was decided to repeat the former in Copenhagen in June, where we will be holding our 2024 General Assembly, and to hold a seminar on Starting and Judging Procedures, led by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. 

The ExCo also seeks to identify which of the pressing issues facing racing could most usefully be focused on at our General Assembly. It was agreed that this year there should be sessions devoted to climate change and sustainability in relation to our sector, as well as the growing threat of illegal betting.

After the business was over, ExCo members were treated to a day’s racing at Spain’s premier track. La Zarzuela impressed on many levels. The luxuriant grass of the turf track belied the drought that had afflicted the region in recent months. The architecture of the gleaming white grandstand is striking, with its arched windows and billowing roof. The demographic was family-orientated, with little peacockery on show. Trees are plentiful, and the footprint of the track is such that there is space for a decent-sized crowd to spread out in the varied outdoor areas provided. And the top floor of the grandstand is now home to a series of airy hospitality areas, with comfy seating and a vibe which is less like a typical racecourse box and more akin to a chilled roof-top bar. All in all, a more than agreeable racing experience.

EUROPE’S YOUNGEST BEACH RACECOURSE: ZAHARA DE LOS ATUNES

The ExCo also receives reports from its two special interest associations, the European Pony Racing Association and the European Beach Racing Association (EBRA). But the latter’s annual meeting was held a couple of weeks after the ExCo – hence this separate bulletin.

The clue is in the name – Zahara de los Atunes is a small town dominated by a large fish! On hiring a car at Malaga airport, en route to this year’s annual EBRA meeting, the woman sorting the paperwork exclaimed jealousy: ‘Oh, you’re going to Zahara. You MUST try the red tuna!’. 

‘Red tuna’ in this instance refers, somewhat confusingly, to the Atlantic Bluefin tuna – a prized goliath of the sea, averaging around 6.5 feet/2 metres in length and 550lbs / 250kgs in weight, whose lifespan, at 40 years, is greater than that of a racehorse. Born in the Mediterranean, they then venture out into the broad expanses of the Atlantic, before returning to breed. And, just as they sweep, as they must, through the narrow gap between ocean and sea - the Straits of Gibraltar – there, waiting for them, are the good fishermen of Zahara. They still employ the ancient and more eco-friendly ‘almadraba’ fishing technique, involving a complicated sequence of nets, strategically positioned, the gauge of which allows the younger fish to proceed, whilst trapping those of a certain size and maturity.

The influence and importance of the tuna to the town is all-pervasive. But, for one weekend of the year – the last weekend in October – the focus now moves from fish to thoroughbred. Because the vast strand which stretches both to the north and the south of the resort then becomes home to Europe’s newest official Beach Racecourse and to the staging of the Gran Premio de Zahara.

This is still a very young tradition, with nothing like the rich history of Zahara’s celebrated beach racing neighbour, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, which sits just 100 kms north up the Costa de la Luz, the other side of Cadiz. Sanlucar, which stages six days of racing and partying in the high summer, and which hosted the EBRA in 2019, is approaching its 180th anniversary, no less. 

That year – 2019 – Zahara dipped its toe into the sea of beach racing, holding some unofficial exhibition races. But then COVID struck and three years passed before the first official races, (for thoroughbreds and held under the auspices of the Spanish Jockey Club), were run at Zahara. So, 2023 was, to all intents and purposes, ‘Year 2’ in an initiative – sponsored in part by Andalucia Tourism - designed to extend the tourist season, from its previous closure in early-October, for a few more precious and profitable weeks.

Progress over just these two years has been remarkable and testimony to its creator and driving force Pio Gonzales. It already has the feel of an embedded community event. Some 4,500 spectators lined the temporary barriers to watch the races, which were both live-streamed and covered by local television. “Beach Racing has been central to our success in keeping Zahara open for business for longer”, explains Gaspar Castro Valencia, Chair of the Zahara Beach Races Association. “We have just 1,300 inhabitants, but this year there were still 12,200 people here for the Gran Premio de Zahara weekend when, previously, the hotels and restaurants would have been closed. It has been an economic engine for the region. The presence of the European Beach Racing Association further helped to position Zahara, and Andalucia more widely, as an international tourist destination.”

The three thoroughbred races were interspersed with exhibition races, including one pony race for children, featuring a staggered starting-point based on the rider’s age. Two of the main races were over 1500m /7.5f, and the Gran Premio itself over 2000m /10f. Zahara is therefore noteworthy, among the world’s racecourses, in boasting - with Newmarket’s Rowley Mile – a straight 2000m / 10 furlongs! Starter numbers were modest, but included participants bred in France, Great Britain, Ireland and USA. The Gran Premio had the distinction of including Legionario (GB), a Listed Race winner in France the previous year, trained by the Duke of Alburquerque and coming to the sands off the back of a run in a €135K race at Meydan. The intention was to use Zahara as a stepping stone to the International races in Morocco the following month but, sadly, Legionario failed to fire in the race and the plan was abandoned.

Zahara – recently awarded the accolade as one of the ‘Magical Villages of Spain’ - was certainly a hit with the EBRA delegates. Apart from the tuna and the fish restaurants that abound, the village is famed for its live music, and the festival weekend has cleverly brought the jazz and racing worlds together. The Jazzahara Music Festival took place in an atmospheric al fresco setting, surrounded by the towering ancient walls of the Palacio de Pilas, former residence of the Dukes of Medina Sidonia which doubled up as a defence against pirates and a place in which to store the nets of the almadraba. And if your view of tuna is (as was mine) sullied by the canned variety, the Zaharan version is a culinary revelation! The number of different, sumptuous ways in which the fish was presented in the hospitality tents during racing was something to experience. 

The additional equestrian attraction of a horse-ball tournament completed the entertainment. Horse-ball requires - of both the horses and their riders - extraordinary agility, and the Thoroughbred has proven wonderfully adept. Many of the horses on show were ex-racehorses, enjoying a second career.

The EBRA meeting received a presentation from Stefan Gast, creator of the vision of Pegasus Land - an ambitious new high-end, equine-focused development in Portugal. Part of that vision is to establish Beach Racing on the expansive and fashionable Comparta Beach, just south of Lisbon and the EBRA stands ready to give advice and share its members’ experiences and expertise.

It is to be hoped that Portugal will embrace the initiative. After all, in neighbouring Spain, Sanlucar and Zahara provide compelling evidence of beach racing’s enormous potential to enhance a coastal area’s touristic appeal and boost the local economy.

Look out for the dates of the 2024 European Beach Racing Fixture List, which will be displayed, when decided, at www.euromedracing.eu/beach-racing. Pop them in your diaries for a holiday or weekend away.

Smaller nations - the challenges facing trainers in Denmark, Poland and Spain

In the last issue, we featured a table of champion trainers and jockeys across Europe, compiled by Slovakia’s Dr Marian Surda. In this one, we have selected three of those champion trainers—those of Denmark, Poland and Spain—and tried to find out a little more about them and what it is like to be at the top of the training tree in their respective countries. While there is plenty of positivity and success to report, the challenges of sustaining viable businesses in the ‘smaller’ racing nations of our region, even for those at the top of their profession, are evident. It is a salutary finding that two of the three are looking to move on from the countries in which they have made their names.

Of our chosen trio, Guillermo Arizkorreta was the most highly ranked (by earnings), finishing 7th of 19 with earnings of €886,250 achieved through 61 winners at a strike rate of 19.3%. Niels Petersen not only finished 9th with his €311,537 in Denmark, but he also finished 8th as champion in Norway, with a further €443,856. And Cornelia ‘Conny’ Fraisl, one of only two females on the list, came in at No 14, earning €131,791 from her 50 wins in Poland.There are many similarities between the three. All happen to be of a similar ‘vintage’, being in their late 40’s or 50’s. 

Denmark has the fewest horses in training but has ready access to those trained in neighbouring Sweden and Norway. The number of trainers among whom these horses are divided are roughly comparable, as are the numbers of their owners. There is some disparity in prize money, with Poland some way adrift of the other two countries. None has a thriving thoroughbred breeding industry, producing limited numbers of foals and therefore relying on foreign-bred imports and foreign-trained runners to achieve the near-identical average field sizes of eight runners per race.

Denmark has one thoroughbred-only track (Copenhagen’s Klampenborg) and three dual gallop and trotting courses. In Poland, Sluzewiec—the main track at the country’s capital—is joined by three others, including Wroclav (where most Polish jump races are run) and the seaside track at Sopot. Spain has four traditional tracks, headed by La Zarzuela in Madrid and, in addition, has three beach racecourses and two ‘pop-up’ tracks.

NIELS PETERSEN

Niels Petersen can claim a unique achievement among current European trainers, in that he is Champion Trainer not only in Denmark, but also in Norway. While Petersen was born and raised in Denmark, he has lived in Norway for the past 25 years, from which base he has stewarded a stellar training career. He has earned the title of multiple champion trainer in all three Scandinavian countries, with combined annual prize money often exceeding €1M and peaking at around €1.7M. Over the years, he has garnered 788 winners in Scandinavia, at a strike rate of around 16%.

Petersen is a prolific winner of Scandinavia’s richest race, the Group III Stockholm Cup International. Square de Luynes ran up a hat-trick of wins.from 2019 to 2021, and Bank of Burden was a four-time victor in a long career. “My most consistent horse was probably Bank of Burden, but my best horse has been Square du Luynes. The Racing Post called him ‘Frankel of the Fjords’”!

Asked for his view of the best trainers in Europe, he says, “People like to say it’s a numbers game, and of course it is, and I know they have the firepower; but the way Aiden O’Brien and John Gosden place their horses, and the level they maintain year after year is just amazing and fantastic to watch. And I greatly admire Karl Burke. To have bounced back and actually raised his game, as he has, after all he’s been through…”.

As for the riders: “Frankie Dettori is special, of course, and I think William Buick, whom I know very well, is a fantastic jockey”. And turning to racetracks: “Ascot and Longchamp are absolutely fantastic tracks, and here in Scandinavia, Bro Park is very level and fair”.

Petersen’s move to Norway was by way of circumstance, not planning. Having completed his education and military service, he worked in Baden-Baden, (alongside friends who included jockey William Buick’s father) for a couple of years, before returning to his homeland, where he suffered a serious riding accident. Forced to seek work opportunities which did not involve riding, his knowledge of the German language came in handy, and he was asked to accompany Scandinavian-trained horses when they raced in Germany. There he met a Norwegian trainer who invited Petersen to join him in Norway to help train his jump horses.  

Last year and the year before, Petersen operated a satellite yard in Denmark, (just as once he did also in Sweden). Around 15 of his 55 horses were based at Klampenborg racecourse, and in both those years he claimed the Danish championship. However, despite that success, adverse exchange rate movements have led him to abandon the Danish base. “The Danish customers actually preferred to put the horse up with me in Norway. I haven’t lost any clients, and all their horses I have with me in Norway now.” 

Petersen is quick to praise the integrated race planning across the Scandinavian nations, making it practicable for trainers to map out campaigns for their horses. So, for example “if you have an outstanding miler, you can target all the big mile races, more or less.”

Securing owners in any one country is challenging enough—how does Petersen approach the task of finding owners in three countries? He is clear that the trainer’s job is not simply to train the horses—the social component is also vitally important. For example, the path to Dubai for its Carnival is a well-trod one—its purpose for Petersen being as much to enrich social relations with and amongst his owners as the pursuit of prize money. 

“I’ve got to make people enjoy the hobby I can provide them with. You do sacrifice a lot of time in doing that. But when you’ve sat on the beach and shared a bottle of wine in your swimming trunks, you become better friends!” 

The travel and the socialising place a premium on having excellent staff back at base and has been fortunate to have had a long-standing assistant in the business in the shape of his elder sister. “I make sure that my staff are well paid, and I’m strict in observing proper working hours. It has become more difficult to find good staff, but word of mouth has ensured we have an excellent team, including a number from South America”.

Petersen has noticed a reduction in horses in training in all three countries. “I’m a bit pessimistic as to the future of racing here, especially in Norway, because our government is not supporting the industry at all. It classifies it as a hobby and, unlike in Sweden and Denmark and elsewhere, you cannot own horses as part of a business. It means owners have to pay 25% VAT on top of imports, which they can’t get back.”  

Dubai’s allure is, of course, all the greater in the contrast it provides to the long, harsh Scandinavian winters. Petersen rues the fact that, from November to April, the Scandinavian climate renders virtually impossible the effective preparation of horses and, despite his huge success there, he has an eye out for opportunities abroad. “I would like to say I’m not looking for something outside, but I am. I live and breathe Scandinavian racing, but do I see myself here in five years’ time? I don’t think so. I don't see myself being here in five years’ time. I'm only 51 years old—not even at my peak—and I want the opportunity to challenge myself where I know I should be: on the bigger international scene”.

Until then, Scandinavia has given Petersen many special memories. What was his best day? “In Denmark, on Derby Day 2021, I had runners in seven races, and I won all seven of them!” If Square de Luynes was ‘Frankel of the Fjords’, then, after that ‘magnificent seven’, one could almost be forgiven for dubbing Niels Petersen ‘Frankie of the Fjords’.

CONNY FRAISL 

Fraisl’s rise to the top in Poland has been meteoric. Her first year with a public trainer’s licence was as recent as 2020, when, with 44 winners, she finished second in the trainers’ table. Two years later, she was crowned Champion, with 50 winners. Fraisl is alone among our trio in concentrating almost exclusively on Arabian, rather than thoroughbred racing.

“I was born in beautiful Salzburg, Austria”, she explains. “My grandparents had a little farm and, when I was three, my dad bought me my first pony. It was a ‘typical’ stubborn Shetland Pony; and once I’d landed on the ground several times, I asked my dad to ‘sell this pony and buy me a guinea pig’!”

But the lure of riding returned a decade later. “Close to the place I lived, there was a training stable for trotters where I spent every free afternoon, all my holidays from the age of 13. Racing always was fascinating for me. Flat racing In particular but, due to the fact that there was no flat racing stable in my area, I stayed the next seven years with trotters. But I always had an eye on flat racing and, in 1996, when I moved from Salzburg to Vienna, I was finally close to a racetrack where regular flat races were held. So, I made contact with one of the trainers, started to ride regularly in daily training there, gained my amateur licence and bought my first own racehorse.”

“I had the possibility of riding work in Florida for several weeks, and I could learn a lot about starting young horses there. During my earlier days in the trotting stable, I learned a lot about intensity of training, interval training, feeding and the general needs of racehorses”.

As an amateur, Fraisl notched up around 25 winners in Austria and Hungary, where she rode for two seasons for different trainers. Turning professional in 2006, she has amassed 208 winners in the saddle to date, riding in countries as far afield as Malaysia.

For her training career, Fraisl moved to Poland, her then-partner’s homeland, where she set up a private breeding and training facility in Strzegom, not far from Wroclav. “At the beginning, we had in training only homebred horses, thoroughbreds. Step by step, one by one, came some Arabians from Austria, Germany, Sweden.... and when they started to win more and more races. Owners from different countries recognised the job we were doing and sent us more and more Arabian horses to be trained in Poland. Today, she has some 80 boxes and 40 places for youngstock. She is an advocate of turnout for horses’ well-being.  “Twenty-five huge grass paddocks can be used all year round and all of our horses—including the racehorses—enjoy several hours outside every day. This is the most positive aspect for mental health. We also have an indoor arena and a horse walker as well as many possibilities to ride out into fields and forest to create the most individual training for our horses as possible”.
These days, Fraisl continues to ride out for nearly all the lots. “This is the best possibility for me to see how the horses in training work, how they behave—simply to ‘feel’ them”.

However, in Fraisl, we find another champion trainer wanting to move on from the country of their triumphs. “Actually we are dramatically reducing the number of our horses, and we are not accepting new horses and owners. The reason is that I am leaving Poland soon and will stop my job as a trainer here”. 

Fraisl cites a multitude of reasons for this bombshell decision which, she says, she has taken after lengthy consideration. “The number of foreign Arabian horses—as we mainly have them in training—is also getting smaller and smaller. This means that we are forced to enter three, four or five horses from our stable together in one race, or that race will be cancelled. This makes no sense for us and our owners any more”.  

Stagnant prize money and rising costs (of staff, transport, feed, bedding and veterinary and blacksmith services) are another factor. In addition, “there is a big lack of work riders. Most trainers work with a handful of enthusiastic amateurs, mainly young girls, who come to ride some lots before school or study or during holidays”. Fraisl also rues the talent drain of the best jockeys in Poland to other countries. She claims that drug and alcohol misuse is a real issue amongst riders and also that black-economy practices are common in the capital, with staff being employed without legal papers or insurance. “We have all our staff employed on a legal basis, and this is why we are the most expensive stable in Poland. We are already tired [of] explaining to the potential new owners why the prices of others are much lower—that's why we finally decided to close our training stable”.

These points were put to the Polish Jockey Club (PJC) racing secretary and the EMHF executive council member, Jakub Kasprzak. Kasprzak points to the fact that Poland is not alone in facing economic challenges, with high inflation being experienced generally across the continent. “It is true that prize money has not risen for some years, but it still compares favourably with that in, for example, Czechia or Slovakia. We are currently trying to support breeders and owners of Polish-bred horses. We have put in place a five-year programme to help this group of people. Ms Fraisl’s yard has 95% foreign-bred horses, so she is unable to participate in that programme. We have been paying transport only to horses to travel to Sopot (just four days’ racing per year) because there are no horses in training within 100km of that racecourse.”

“It is true that Polish riders, of all levels of ability, will often seek happiness abroad. But a shortage of racing staff is something that is being experienced throughout Europe. We are now seeing many staff coming from countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. However, I don’t recognise her point about insurance and illegal workers. Every rider MUST have official insurance to be licenced. We at the PJC are very exacting about it. And as to drug and alcohol problems, every rider has a medical control before the start of a race. If the medical officer sees anything incorrect, he will report it to the stewards. Two years ago, one rider was suspended for one year for being drunk on race day”.

Where will Fraisl relocate to? “Time will tell. I hope to find a nice place where I can continue my work with Arabian horses.” 

Fraisl has not been averse to sending horses abroad to compete ‘whenever it makes sense’. Indeed it has been the forays abroad that have provided her with her most treasured racing memories. “As key moments, I would mention the experience [of taking] part and finishing fifth in the UAE President Cup - UK Derby in Doncaster this year with Bahwan and especially our first Group winner last year in Jägersro, Sweden. For me as a trainer, this was the first Group race abroad. For our young stable jockey it was the first big chance to ride a Group race and show his talent abroad so we said ‘let's go and try’. We had no idea how the colt would do on a dirt track and without the whip (in accordance with the rules in Sweden). In the event, it was the first Group win for me as trainer, for our jockey, and for the breeder....it was an unforgettable day for all of us”.

GUILLERMO ARIZKORRETA

One man has enjoyed a stranglehold on the Trainers’ Championship in Spain for over a decade. Guillermo Arizkorreta first topped the table in 2012 and has remained there ever since. 

By contrast with the other featured trainers, Arizkorreta trains at shared facilities, with some 25 others, at the La Zarzuela racetrack, very close to Madrid. It helps contain costs and has in turn contributed to the fact that Arizkorreta’s owners have enjoyed an enviable return on their annual costs, of over 75%. “It is very easy for the trainer. The owner pays €200/month to the racecourse, and it includes stabling, water supply, electricity, use of gallops, etc. Overall, having a horse in the yard costs around €1500/month, all included. It means that it is not that difficult to cover the cost of having a racehorse. On average, my horses have earned €13.500/year since I started”.

His operation supports some 70 horses in training and a workforce of around 25. “We have very nice staff, from many countries: Germany, Chile, Czech Republic, Italy, Nicaragua, Bolivia. As everywhere, there is a shortage, and it is not easy to find good riders. We have around 17 full-timers who work approximately 40 hours a week, a couple of part-timers, and some jockeys who are self-employed. The staff that work full-time work one weekend in two and the same for the evening stables. The basic wage for a full-time rider is around €19.000/year”.

“I started in a pony club in Oiartzun (close to San Sebastian) which was owned by a racehorse owner. There I met (four-time French Champion jockey) Ioritz Mendizabal, who had a keen interest in racing; and we started to ride racehorses in our local track in San Sebastian. From then on, I started following Spanish racing, and afterwards I started to follow racing and breeding around the globe, which became my passion”.

Arizkorreta singles out three key events in his rise to the top. “First, being able to compete in the FEGENTRI series as an amateur rider opened my eyes, and I was lucky to ride in many countries. Secondly, after finishing my degree, I spent nearly six years working as [an] assistant in the UK to Mr Cumani and in France to Mr Laffon Parias; and I learned a lot with them. 

“Lastly, Madrid racecourse was closed between 1996 and 2005, and I was lucky to be ready to start my career at the same time as the racecourse reopened. I was known as an amateur rider in Spain, and all the background from my experience abroad helped me a lot to get some clients in very exciting times”.

“We have won 878 races from 4,450 runners. In Spain, we have won all the major races and probably our biggest achievement abroad was to win a Gp3 and a Gp2 on the same weekend in Baden Baden in 2021”.

Loyal support from some of the country’s biggest owners has been a hallmark of Arizkorreta’s career. “I have a good bunch of owners. The majority of them have been with the yard for a long time. At the moment, we have around 20 different ownership entities—33% sole ownership and the rest partnerships. The majority of them used to come racing when they were children and have a good knowledge of the sport”.

Arizkorreta has not been shy of campaigning his horses abroad and has reaped healthy rewards, capped by that dual Group-winning day in Germany. “Since I started, I have always tried to race as much as possible abroad. We have had 112 winners abroad—mainly in France, but we have also won in Dubai, Germany, Morocco and Switzerland; and we have had runners in Saudi, Sweden, UK, and Italy”.

“I feel we have done pretty well abroad, and in the right races, our horses are usually competitive”.  

The trainer has much that is positive to say about racing in his country. “Madrid Racecourse is our ‘shield’, classified, as it is, as a monument. It is a fabulous racecourse, with lovely stands, a good turf track and a good crowd of people every meeting. It is very close to the city centre and is a track definitely worth visiting. Prize money could be better for the big races but in general is good, especially for the low-grade races. Being close to France helps us find suitable races for some horses”. 

As to what could be improved, Arizkorreta would welcome improved planning of the race programme and greater unity between trainers, jockeys, and owners to “push in the same direction and to improve the basics of our industry”. And financial structures also mean that there is not the opportunity to access horse walkers or equine swimming pools.

All in all for Arizkorreta, the future, if not stellar, looks stable. “I think in five years’ time we will be in a similar position. Things could be much better but, realistically, with politicians not giving us the tools to develop the betting and our industry; it is hard to imagine an improvement in the short term. We need them to make a long-term plan for racing and breeding and to consider it as an industry that can create wealth and employment in many areas. Since 2005, the ruling government has helped us with prize money, which covers nearly all the races run in the year; and I see no reason why it should change, especially in Madrid.     

“We have some lovely racecourses, which are always attended by a good crowd. In our biggest racecourse in Madrid, the weather is usually lovely, and it is becoming very popular in the city. There is scope to improve in many areas, and I can see it being one of the nicest racecourses in Europe. San Sebastian needs more support from the local government, but it is a historic racecourse in an amazing city. And I hope Mijas racecourse will reopen at some point”! 

It was heartening to find that at least one of our ‘smaller nations’ champion trainers shows no signs of wishing to leave the country. 

Warsaw finally hosts EMHF assembly and stewards' conference

Article by Paull Khan

It’s just possible that the main benefit of the EMHF to its racing administrator members is the social dividend. Many of us have been involved for a dozen years or more, and the bonds that have developed within our network allow easy and unhesitating communication whenever some international issue or other should crop up in our racing lives. This column’s regular reader will know that the EMHF seeks to enrich our members’ education by moving our biannual meetings around the region and combining them with attending the races in the host country. In this issue, following a successful gathering in Poland, we try to convey a little of the flavour of an EMHF General Assembly reunion.

Back in 2019, when we gathered in Oslo and memorably celebrated Norway’s exuberant May 17th National Day celebrations, it was announced that, the following year, we would reconvene in Warsaw. That was not to happen, due to COVID, and the next two years were Zoom affairs. When the pandemic’s grasp began to ease, the Polish plan was back on the table— only for the conflict in neighbouring Ukraine to put an end to those hopes. Ireland manfully stepped in to host us at The Curragh in 2022; and so, when our party—of 48, from 19 countries—finally descended on the Polish capital on the middle weekend of May, there was a palpable feeling of relief.

By common consent, it was worth the wait.

Following the pattern introduced in Ireland, the event was split across two days. The first afternoon was devoted to all the things that one associates with a General Assembly: financial, membership and administrative matters, together with updates, from each member country present, on the state of racing in their respective nations, as well as from various relevant committees and sister organisations. The hosts also gave a colourful account of the rollercoaster that is the history of racing in their homeland.

We were pleased to welcome, once again, representatives of the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders’ Associations (EFTBA) and the European and African Stud Book Committee (EASBC). Because the EMHF has long taken the view that we in the equine sector should avoid operating in isolation, and instead benefit from cross-fertilisation of knowledge and ideas, these organisations, together with the European Trotting Union (UET) and European Equestrian Federation (EEF), are standing invitees to our General Assemblies.

After an excellent dinner that evening at the elegant Rozana restaurant in the Konstancin area of the city, our second morning was wider in its scope, and the floor was given to a number of experts who presented on a range of matters of current interest or concern. 

Police involvement in French racing

Those who followed the high-profile rape allegations against Pierre Charles Boudot or the arrests of the Rossi trainer brothers might have been struck and intrigued by the closeness of the involvement of the French police. Henri Pouret, EMHF executive council member for France, explained how there is a branch of the national French police force—the Service Centrale Courses et Jeux—dedicated to racing and gaming matters. No licenced or registered participant in French racing—be they owner, trainer, jockey or breeder—is allowed to participate unless their registration is authorised by the ‘racing police’. Then, once registered, if such an individual becomes subject to judicial proceedings, the racing police may require France Galop, or its trotting equivalent, Le Trot, to withdraw or suspend their licence. This is not just a theoretical power—on no fewer than 25 occasions did they do just this in the course of last year.

It is only for the past three years that doping a racehorse has been a criminal act in France. It seems likely that the racing police will play an ever more central part in the regulation of French racing.

FEGENTRI and the International Pony Racing Championship

With EMHF’s formation last year of the European Pony Racing Association (EPRA) and the launch in 2023 of FEGENTRI’s Junior Championship, never has there been a more opportune time to explore and develop the relationship between the amateur and professional communities in European racing. It was therefore a pleasure to receive FEGENTRI’s secretary-general, Charlotte Rinckenbach, to explain the work and relevance of her organisation.

FEGENTRI, the international federation of gentlemen and lady riders, has a history that stretches back to 1955. It is therefore longer established, not only longer  than the EMHF, but also longer than both the IFHA and the Asian Racing Federation. It organises amateur races around the world, across four main championships, and prides itself on providing a distinct and effective route by which to involve people in our sport from diverse walks of life.

FEGENTRI Junior is the first international pony racing championship of its kind. It has started in a modest way, with four countries each fielding two young riders, aged between 14 and 16 years. (The competition, which has the full support of the EPRA, is open to those of 12 years and over; but no-one younger than 14 was chosen this year). Their level of experience varies greatly—some have only ridden in a dozen races; others have 150 rides and over 50 winners under their belts. These eight trail-blazing youngsters have the wonderful opportunity of riding competitively in Florence, Bro Park, Chantilly, Livorno and Kincsem Park. And who’s to say that, from amongst them, we will not see a champion of the future?

Gene doping and its implications for EMHF members

‘Gene doping is not a rumour anymore’, was the stark opening warning from Dr Kanichi Kusano of the Japan Racing Association, one of the world’s experts in this sphere. He explained that the abuse of genetic therapies is a major threat to racing’s integrity. In the worst-case scenario, the heritable genome of a thoroughbred would be changed through genetic modification at the breeding stage—of the eggs, sperm or embryo. The good news is that, in this race, the ‘good guys’ are up with the pace, and already there are out of competition (OOC) tests for gene doping that are being deployed. 

Smaller countries, without extensive resources to direct towards research or detection, were advised to prepare by ensuring their rules adequately outlawed the practice and to publicise and start a programme of deterrent sample collection, followed by OOC testing as soon as the leading racing nations offer a suitable commercial service.

The World Pool

Tallulah Wilson, UK Tote Group’s head of international racing, spoke of the burgeoning impact of the World Pool and how EMHF countries could get involved through the World Tote Association (WoTA). World Pool, the Hong Kong-based system for commingling bets placed on key international races, is only four years old; but it has already demonstrated that races selected for inclusion enjoy a startling increase in pool betting turnover. 

Higher liquidity attracts the high-rollers and creates a virtuous circle from which the participating racecourses benefit, potentially boosting prize money. However, legislative restrictions in Hong Kong mean that the races included do not number in the thousands, or even hundreds. Just 25 race days, predominantly in Britain and Ireland, will form the 2023 roster. While this number is growing, the prospects of most EMHF member countries having a race included in the near term are only distant (although fresh ground has been broken this year through the inclusion—as a single race from a different country within a World Pool Day—of the German Derby).

However, Wilson’s message was that ‘everyone is welcome’ within WoTA. Member countries’ Tote operators were encouraged to apply to join, opening up the possibility of their punters being able to bet into the commingled World Pools and earning that pool operator and its racing industry a slice of the take-out.

Racing to school and National Racehorse Week

For over 20 years, a British programme has been introducing racing to schoolchildren, presenting aspects of their school curriculum through the lens of a visit to a racecourse, training yard or stud. John Blake, CEO of Racing to School, spoke of 16,000 children who attended such a course last year, instilling in many of them a positive sentiment towards the sport, which may hopefully translate in time into ownership or professional involvement. 

The third National Racehorse Week in Britain will take place in September, when racing yards and stud farms will open their doors to welcome members of the public. Over 10,000 took up the offer last year, of whom one-fifth were new to racing. 

At a time when our sport’s public image is under increasing pressure, these positive interactions with the public are initiatives which many member countries could look to replicate.

Racing at Sluzewiec 

With the business affairs completed, it was off to the races. The approach to Sluzewiec Racecourse is through a proud avenue of mature trees, and the whole expansive site was lush and green. The stands were indeed grand, completed, with unfortunate timing, in 1939—just before the onset of war. An attractive feature of the main grandstand is a sloping, stepless zigzag by which one ascends and descends from floor to floor. It makes for a photogenic feature—ideal for the fashion catwalks that are sometimes staged there.

The EMHF Cup was run over a mile for unraced three-year-olds worth €3,200. It attracted a field of eight runners. The winner, Sopot was one of only two Polish-breds, taking on horses foaled in Great Britain, France, Czech Republic and Ukraine.

The nine-race card was worth a total of €24,000. A mixed programme comprised thoroughbred, trotting and Arab races, from 1300m (6 1/2f) up to 2400m (1 1/2m). No race attracted fewer than seven runners and the largest field was 11. Interestingly, in an apprentice race, for riders who had ridden fewer than 25 winners, the whip was not allowed to be carried, let alone used.

Horserace betting is not ingrained in Polish society, and there was little evidence of avid form study, or raucous cheering. However, the crowd’s demographic was a revelation: it was hard to spot a grey hair, with patrons almost exclusively families or young adults. It made for a beguilingly relaxed atmosphere.

Our horizons have been broadened by the experience of witnessing racing in such diverse settings across the EuroMed region as Waregem, (Belgium), La Zarzuela (Madrid, Spain), Kincsem Park (Budapest, Hungary), Casablanca (Morocco), Leopardstown and The Curragh (Ireland),  St. Moritz (Switzerland), Bro Park (Sweden),  Hamburg (Germany), Marcopoulo (Athens, Greece),  Bratislava (Slovakia), Les Landes (Jersey, Channel Islands), Pardubice (Czech Republic), Ovrevoll (Oslo, Norway), Veliefendi, Istanbul and Izmir (Turkey), Cheltenham (Great Britain) and now Warsaw. 

Seeing the sport flourish in such varied surroundings brings home the need to do all we can to preserve racing in every country in which it currently takes place. Singapore’s decision to draw the curtain down on horseracing was such dispiriting news.  A broad and thriving base to our pyramid enriches us all.

First  EuroMed Stewards’ Conference

Few things in international racing excite as much comment and criticism as comparing decisions taken by stewards around the world. There is a constant cry for consistency in the rules that apply to the running of a race, in the way stewards interpret both the races and the rules, and in the levels of penalty handed down. Harmonisation of such matters is a real challenge, not least because there is nobody in horse racing that sets world rules; each national racing authority sets its own. But that is not to say that substantial efforts are not made constantly to improve things in this area. It is the very raison d’etre of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ (IFHA’s), International Harmonisation of Racing Rules Committee (IHRRC), and is also the subject of much of the discussion at the International Stewards’ Conferences (ISC) that the IFHA has staged, roughly every two years, around the world. 

But these meetings must limit the numbers of delegates in attendance, and it is in practice that only the major racing nations benefit from being party to the discussions. For this reason, it was decided to stage a Stewards’ Conference for the EuroMed region and to welcome all EMHF member countries—large and small. This suggestion, proposed by Germany, was picked up with enthusiasm by Britain. Thus, it came to be that the day after the General Assembly, the BHA’s Brant Dunshea chaired the inaugural EuroMed Stewards’ Conference, which attracted a pleasing turnout of 30 delegates from 12 countries.

Joining from Australia via Zoom was Kim Kelly, who has for many years chaired both the IHRRC and ISC; he set the scene and placed this gathering into its global context. There followed a range of presentations, including the following.

Competency-based training programme

The job of the steward is high-profile, highly-charged and perpetually subject to criticism from both the media and the public. The BHA’s Cathy O’Meara described how Britain has recently introduced a competency-based training programme to ensure that its stewarding workforce, along with all raceday teams, is (and remains) up to the job. Through a combination of interactive on-line learning, shadowing, mentoring and more, stewards learn, and are then assessed on, race reading, the rules, enquiry training and report writing. And, once initial competencies are met, the learning journey is not over. All stewards will be required to complete continued professional development, where half of the content relates directly to their roles and half to general industry-related issues such as equine and human welfare. A next step will be to develop a module for the use of those in the industry, such as trainers and the general public. The BHA also has plans to offer to receive stewards from smaller racing nations to assist in their development.

Illegal betting

The EMHF’s equivalent in the Asian and Oceanian region, the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) and, in particular, Hong Kong, is on the front line in a battle against illegal betting. The ARF has established a Council on Anti-Illegal Betting and Related Financial Crime; and its chair, Martin Purbrick, joined us by video conference.

The stark facts are that illegal betting is growing much more quickly than legal betting and already represents the majority of online betting. Aside from the fact that illegal betting makes no contribution to racing, nor to society at large, through taxation, it is also intrinsically linked to race-fixing and organised crime. While Asia may be the historic hotbed of this activity, Purbrick cautioned that Asian illegal betting has already expanded into Europe.

Online betting is no respecter of national boundaries, and if we are to be successful in this war, it will require a joined-up, cross-border and multi-agency approach, involving governments, racing authorities, gambling authorities and the police. But we cannot leave it to these organisations alone—it is incumbent upon all of us to be aware of the risks of race manipulation and to whistle-blow if ever we encounter it.

Virtual stewards’ room

This column (April 2020) described a novel system of remote stewarding, witnessed by the author in Johannesburg. It looked forward to a day when Stewards are situated at a central location, away from the track, from which they communicate with the principals on-track and view video footage. This might be widely adopted, promising more consistent application of the rules and the opportunity for smaller countries to outsource their stewarding function to larger countries.

The Conference heard how this brave new world might just have moved a step closer. The BHA reported on a system first trialled in 2020 and prompted by the COVID outbreak. The pandemic created a situation in which there was a real risk of stewards being unavailable due to a requirement to isolate. In response, assistant stewards began working remotely, through video conferencing from their homes, but initially without access to the full range of views available to the stewards on-course. The BHA then set about developing a hub, away from the racecourse, which offered the full range of race replays. While it was considered there was still the need to have a senior person on the course, the hub provided resilience against absence, allowed stewards to officiate at afternoon and evening meetings on the same day, etc.

The trial has now been rolled out in Britain, such that all assistant stewards have the option to work from home, improving their work/life balance. Around 25 percent of fixtures are covered by the technology, and it is planned to expand this further in the future.

Anti-doping activities

It has long been appreciated that trainers, when racing in different jurisdictions, should, as far as is practicable, be assured of facing similar treatment regarding medication control. To that end, the European Horseracing Scientific Liaison Committee (EHSLC) was set up over 30 years ago and continues to lead on this area of racing administration in our region. The Conference heard how the EHSLC (which is comprised of the chief veterinary officer/anti-doping manager from the member countries, representatives of the national laboratories, which carry out regulatory work for those countries, specialist pharmacologists and senior administrators from the racing authorities)  has generated a significant amount of data relating to common use medications and has published detection times for many substances. The science underlying these data is rigorous and the subject of considerable review and has often been accepted by the wider global racing community, forming the basis of international screening limits.

Feedback on the inaugural EuroMed Stewards’ Conference has been universally positive, and there is much enthusiasm to make this a regular event, perhaps again being staged alongside our General Assemblies.

European champion trainers and jockeys

Article by Paull Khan

These tables of the reigning champion jockeys and trainers in a selection of European countries, as measured by the domestic 2022 earnings of the horses they trained or rode, were submitted by the doyen of Central European racing, Dr Marian Surda. Surda is secretary-general of KMET—an association of the Racing Authorities of Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and Austria. While this column cannot vouch for the accuracy of the figures, it can attest to Surda’s long-held commitment to promoting and documenting racing in the Central European region.

Placing, within single tables, the achievements of the top trainers and jockeys in these nineteen countries paints a fascinating picture of the patchwork of our continent’s racing; and it causes many a raised eyebrow. 

There may be few surprises at the top of the table—although readers might not have expected the British champion to have achieved greater earnings than his French counterpart, given the considerable disparity in prize money levels in the two countries, in favour of France. But the 1,013 starts of Italian champ Alduino Botti, almost twice the number of his nearest challenger on this measure, stands out as being impressive, indeed. Alduino, together with his brother, Giuseppe, has been a perennial champion in his homeland, following a very successful riding career. They are but part of a remarkable dynasty. Son of trainer and rider Edmondo Botti, Alduino has sired trainers Marco and Stefano, while Giuseppe’s two sons, Alessandro and Endo, also joined the training ranks.

The first name on the list, which may be unknown to the majority of readers is that of the Turkish champion, Ibrahim Bekirogullari, in 6th place. Bekirogullari trains mostly in Ankara and has charge of around 80 horses. His haul last year included 11 domestic group races, and he has been the top money-winner in Turkey for the past five years.

A unique achievement is that of Niels Petersen, the only trainer or jockey to top the table in more than one country—Norway and Denmark. A Dane, living in Norway, Petersen has in the past operated satellite yards not only in Denmark but also in Sweden, in which country he has also enjoyed considerable success.

Austria, once a proud racing nation, provides a sad footnote. The Austrian Derby was first run in 1868 at Vienna’s Freudenau racecourse, whose art nouveau grandstands were some of the most stylish in the world and where the first electronic timing of races took place. Today, just four gallop races are run during the course of the whole year. To become champion there, Sarah Steinberg, the German-licenced trainer, picked up just €1,000 as her 10% trainer’s share of the €10,000 earned by Anonymous, the winner of the country’s top race.

On a lighter note… who knew that the average European champion trainer has a strike rate of 25%, earnings of €1.4M and is 54 years of age! 

Polish horse racing gets a major boost

Article by Dr. Paull Khan

Night Tornado (11) and jockey Stefano Mura on their way to winning the Wielka Warszawska 2022, a race they won for the second year running at Sluzewiec Racecourse

Warsaw’s impressive Sluzewiec Racecourse

On Sunday, October 1st, Poland’s first ever internationally recognised Listed Race will be staged. The €100,000 Wielka Warszawska, for three-year-olds and upwards, is run over 2600m/13f of the impressive, 50-metre wide, turf track at Warsaw’s Sluzewiec Racecourse.

At its meeting in Ireland in February, the European Pattern Committee (EPC) confirmed its decision to award Black Type to the race, deeming it to have met the conditions of the recently introduced ‘flagship race’ scheme. Poland is the second country (after Spain) to benefit from this scheme, introduced last year, which gives EMHF member nations (which have no internationally recognised Group or Listed races) the opportunity to apply for a single ‘flagship race.’ This race is treated slightly more leniently than other races when being assessed for Black Type. Normally, the average internationally agreed rating of the first four finishers in the most recent three runnings of the race should be 100 or over. Under this scheme, a score of 95 in any two of the three most recent renewals is the threshold.

How did the Polish race meet the standard? It was undoubtedly given a boost in 2020, when the globe-trotting Czech-trained Nagano Gold (GB) – who had recently run second in both the Gp.2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Gp.1 Grand Prix de Saint Cloud – graced Poland’s premier track with his presence. Nagano Gold, then a six-year-old, prevailed by just a ½ length from a locally trained three-year-old named Night Tornado.

No one could tell at the time that Night Tornado would go on to be quite the star of the show, winning both the 2021 and 2022 editions, more recently with French- and German-trained raiders in his wake, including Nania (GER), who was fresh off a victory in a Hannover Listed Race.

Attaining Black Type is not only an honour for Polish racing but has wider implications, according to Jakub Kasprzak, racing secretary at the Polish Jockey Club and recently voted onto the nine-strong executive council of the EMHF – another example of Polish racing’s growing profile. 

Jakub Kasprzak

Kasprzak reflected on the prospect in the run-up to the EPC’s decision: “If the Wielka Warszawska receives the Black Type status, it will undoubtedly be a great distinction and appreciation of Polish racing. The race has a long tradition, and several horses have appeared in the international arena. In addition, for the entire central and eastern European region, it will be a great opportunity to popularise racing.”

But Kasprzak is keeping his feet firmly on the ground: “Of course, we know that receiving such an award is really the beginning of the hard work, to show that it was not a ‘fluke.’ Personally, I am very happy, but I approach it with caution, being aware of the new challenges it poses for us.”

The journey that Polish racing has taken to get to this point is tumultuous. It has featured the need to rebuild from scratch on no fewer than three occasions and can only be understood in the context of the history of Poland overall.

Sluzewiec opening, 1939

The first organised races were run in Warsaw in 1841, on the Mokotow Field, now a large park just south of the city centre, which houses the Polish National Library. At the time, there was no ‘Poland.’ This was in the middle of a 123-year period during which Poland did not exist—having been partitioned in the late eighteenth century between Austria, Prussia and Russia. Warsaw fell into the Russian area and, since 1815, within a semi-autonomous state entitled Congress Poland. The Russian regime curtailed economic and public activity in the region, and racing in Warsaw was, for example, completely suspended between 1861 and 1863. 

Originally a dirt track, four stands were erected along its finishing straight. In 1888, it moved to turf, at a time of fresh prosperity: pool betting had recently been introduced and was providing funds for prize money.

Sluzewiec, 1973

At this time, the horses were predominantly domestically bred, oriental horses, initially favoured by Polish breeders as they had historically provided Poland with success on the battlefield. However, the supremacy of the thoroughbred over racing distances (2km–5km) began to be recognised over time; and a thoroughbred breeding industry developed, drawing stallions and broodmares predominantly from England, France, Germany and Austria. 

The stud of Count Ludwik Krasinski was pre-eminent in the four decades leading up to the first World War. Based in Krasne, (100kms to the north of Warsaw), it ranked top across the whole Russian Empire on 14 occasions. It produced the winners of five all-Russian derbies, in Moscow, including the famed Ruler. 

Lwow Racecourse, 1943

This was an outward-looking period of international competition and success, with Polish-breds winning Classic races in Austria, Germany and Hungary. Two-year-old racing was introduced in the 1880s. (Initially, races were for four-year-olds and up only.) Trainers and riders were often brought in from abroad, and a breakthrough in riding styles occurred in 1901 when American jockey Cassius Sloan showcased the shorter-stirruped style to great effect and was soon mimicked by the domestic riders.

World War I put a stop to all this. In 1915, the racing stables were evacuated to the East. However, the racing spirit was not snuffed out and the president of the Horse Racing Society at the time, Fryderyk Jurjewicz, gathered most of the Polish stables at the track in Odessa (Ukraine) and organised races there throughout the rest of the war. Following which, in the Spring of 1919, about 250 thoroughbreds began their return home, arriving at the Warsaw track on June 28, laying the foundations for thoroughbred racing and breeding in a newly reborn independent Poland. In 1919, over 22 racing days, 193 races were run and a Western European-style racing programme, capped by traditional Classic races, was adopted.

There followed a spell of great growth and optimism. In 1924, the first volume of the Polish Stud Book was published. The following year, the Horse Racing Act was passed, establishing the Horse Racing Committee, with representation from a remarkably broad range of government departments: the Ministries of Agriculture, Military Affairs, Interior Affairs and Treasury all had seats, alongside representatives of the racecourses and breeders. 

Lwow Racecourse, 1943

Breeding stock was imported in significant numbers – over 1,000 broodmares from the disintegrated Austro-Hungarian Empire, as well as from England, France, Russia and Germany. By 1930, the number of mares bred – often a useful barometer for the health and scale of the sector as a whole – had climbed back up above pre-war levels. 

Many racing societies and racetracks emerged in the 1920s at places like Lublin, Lodz and Katowice. From 1933, racing was staged over the winter at the southern town of Zakopane. These regional tracks not only played an important role in the development of the thoroughbred sector, they also enriched the society by providing focal points for social life. Sadly, for most, their time in the sun was short-lived, as Poland was hit especially hard by the Great Depression of the 1930s, leading to their closure.

Even during these straitened times, a grand project was undertaken to construct a modern track on land from the Sluzewiec farm, which had been purchased by the Society for the Encouragement of Horse Breeding. With the help of international experts and renowned landscape architects, the racecourse – which is present-day Poland’s most important track and host to the Wielka Warszawska – was opened on June 3, 1939.

The Second World War caused a complete dispersion of breeding stock. For the third time in a century, thoroughbred breeding had to be started from afresh, and this time, under the constraints of Communism. Private breeding was banned and state studs were established in the place of the liquidated private studs. Slowly, activity increased from the 45 thoroughbred mares registered in 1944. A draft of 230 thoroughbreds reclaimed from Germany provided a timely fillip. By 1950, the mares’ roster had risen to 150, and this figure grew by an average of 10 per year for the next four decades.

Then, in 1989, came the seismic political changes in which Poland played such a pivotal part and saw the overturning of communism. Several state studs were closed down, and private stud farms re-appeared in their place. Individuals could now own and lease racehorses, and racing stables began competing on the principles of the free market. Broodmare numbers shot up to 900 – returning at last to the pre-WWII levels.

The story of Polish racing is, indeed, one of immense resilience. It is a vivid example of how societies – in so many parts of the world, after conflict or disaster – hasten at the earliest opportunity to re-establish horse racing, emblematic as our sport can be of normalcy resumed.

Runners pass the stands at the Baltic Sea resort track of Sopot.

What, then, of Polish racing in the 21st century? The exploits of two horses might be highlighted: those of Galileo (POL) and Va Bank (IRE) – both of whom made waves in Western Europe: the first in the jump racing sphere, the second on the flat.

Let us consider the ‘Polish Galileo’ first. Poland’s Ministry of Agriculture continued to own stallions for some years after 1989 (an example of state involvement that was only eventually ended when, in 2004, Poland entered the EU) and one of the last such was Jape (USA), whose second crop included Galileo, who had won the Polish St Leger, had placed second in the Polish Derby and had been voted Horse of the Year. Galileo was put up for sale at the Sluzewiec Sale in Autumn 2001 and was purchased by British trainer Tom George to go hurdling. Winning on his British hurdling debut in February 2002, George went directly the following month to the Cheltenham Festival, where Galileo was famously victorious in the 27-runner Gr.1 Royal and SunAlliance (now Ballymore) Novices Hurdle.

Polish superstar Va Bank

Va Bank’s remarkable career began with a 12-race unbeaten sequence, which included the Wielka Warszawska, Polish Derby and a German Gp.3. Later, while in training in Germany, he added a further German Gp.3 and Italy’s Premio Roma (Gp.2) to his tally. He now stands as a leading sire in Poland. 

Today, Poland has three active racecourses, all turf, of which Sluzewiec is the youngest. Partynice in Wroclav, not far from the Czech and German borders, was founded in 1907 and is dual-purpose, hosting all the country’s 36 jump races. The Baltic Sea track of Sopot is the daddy of the trio, dating back to 1898.

Sixty trainers are licenced in Poland, with a quarter of these confined to training their own horses – just over half train from their own premises; the rest occupy stables at either Warsaw or Wroclav. Training fees average around €6,500pa, excluding veterinary and transport costs. The champion thoroughbred trainer last year, Adam Wyrzyk, notched up 36 wins.

Average prize money on the flat is around €4,600; over jumps, it approaches €7,000. Field sizes are knocking on the door of the ‘magic 8,’ with the flat averaging 7.9 and the jumps 7.1.

All of Poland’s jump races are open to foreign competition, including the Crystal Cup (€37,000) and Wielka Wroclawska (€43,000). On the flat, of the 278 races, the top 35, including all five Classics, and a few lower-class races, are open. Last year, 82 foreign-trained runners were attracted to race in Poland, from Slovakia, Czech Republic, France, Sweden and Germany.

Recent years have seen a growing reliance upon foreign-bred horses, which now represent the slight majority of horses-in-training. Of the 386 imports, 164 were from Ireland, 128 from France and 43 from Britain. Six years earlier, the picture was very different, when over 70% of horses-in-training were home-bred – a cause of some concern in Poland.

Tight finish in front of packed stands at Wroclaw

Despite a new television racing channel and internet betting platform, on-track betting is still the predominant channel for horse racing bets. Turnover is buoyant, but the returns to racing from betting turnover are modest. 

The Polish Jockey Club, established in 2001, sits beneath the Ministry of Agriculture. Polish racing is heavily dependent upon government support, with 90%–95% of prize money emanating from that source. It is a relationship that is not without its frustrations:

“If we need to change something, like a rule of racing,” explains Kasprzak, “we are unable to do so without specific governmental approval; and we, as just one among many organisations, often find we are waiting and waiting for this approval to come through.”

What does Kasprzak consider to be Polish racing’s prime challenges and opportunities?

“The first challenge is the support of Polish-bred horses, to rebuild our breed. At this moment, we have a few stallions with good pedigrees and race records. Their first offspring will race this year. 

2022 Polish champion thoroughbred trainer Adam Wyrzyk and daughter Joanna, who became the first woman to win the Polish Derby when winning in 2021 on Guitar Man

“Second, we need new racing rules. Third, we have problems in sourcing stewards. People don’t want to be stewards; it is a very hard and responsible job.”

“As regards opportunities, these days, there are many possibilities when it comes to spending free time, but in Poland, our three racecourses offer something special. You can meet friends, eat and drink as well as watch horses compete in the flesh. We have the chance to sell to a new audience this unique way of having a good time.”

This year, Poland is taking centre stage within European racing in another respect. It will, for the first time, host the EMHF’s General Assembly over two days in May. Immediately following this, the inaugural EuroMed Stewards’ Conference will take place at the same Warsaw venue.

And then, thoughts will turn to the Wielka Warszawska, whose shiny new Black Type status has been rewarded with a hefty boost in prize money – the winner taking home €58,000 (up from €38,000 last year). So, trainers seeking a realistic shot at Black Type (remember, statistically, the race has been easier to win than any other European Listed Race) and a nice prize money pot with a 2400m+ horse rated around the 95 mark, consider a trip to Warsaw this October.

What is racing's "Social Licence" and what does this mean?

Paull Khan expands upon a presentation he gave at the 

European Parliament to the MEP’s Horse Group on November 30th

As World Horse Welfare recently pointed out in its excellent review of the subject—while social licence or the ongoing acceptance or approval of society may be ‘intangible, implicit and somewhat fluid’—an industry or activity loses this precious conferment at its peril. Examples, all too close to home, can be seen in greyhound racing in Australia and America or jumps racing in Australia.

What is clear is that our industry is acutely aware of the issue – as are our sister disciplines. The forthcoming Asian Racing Conference in Melbourne in February will feature a session examining what is being done to ‘ensure that (our) a sport is meeting society’s rapidly evolving expectations around welfare and integrity’. And back in November, the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) held a General Assembly whose ‘overriding theme’ was ‘that of social licence, and the importance for all stakeholders to understand the pressing needs for our sport to adapt and monitor the opinions of those around us’.

Considered at that meeting were results of a survey, which indicated that two-thirds of the public do not believe horses enjoy being used in sport and have concerns about their use. Those concerns mainly revolve around the welfare and safety of the horses. Intriguingly, a parallel survey of those with an active involvement in equestrian sport revealed that as many as half of this group even did not believe horses enjoyed their sport; and an even higher proportion than the general public—three-quarters—had concerns about their use.

While it is likely true, to an extent at least, that the public tends not to distinguish between equestrian sports, the specific concerns about horse racing are certainly different from those about Olympic equestrian disciplines, which centre on such matters as bits, bridles, spurs and nosebands. 

Upon what, then, does our social licence in European horse racing critically depend? What are the major issues about which the public has opinions or worries, and on which the continuance of our social licence may hang? It should be said at the outset that what follows is not based upon scientific evidence (and the research should certainly be undertaken) but merely reflects the belief of the author. But it is suggested with some confidence that the following (in no particular order) are the three issues uppermost in public consciousness. They are:

• Use of the whip

• Racecourse injuries/fatalities

• Aftercare – the fate of retired racehorses

There are, of course, other matters – the misuse of drugs and medications, gambling harms, etc., but the three topics above seem to account for a large proportion of the public’s anxieties about racing. There are likely to be subtle differences in the views of the public between one European country and another. Certainly, it is true that the volume of public disquiet varies very considerably between nations. In Scandinavia and Great Britain, for example, horse welfare and animal welfare more generally are very much front of mind and near the centre of public discourse. It is far less evident in several other countries. 

But it is illuminating to look at what racing has been doing in recent years in the three areas listed above, and what the future looks like. A survey was conducted among member countries of the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation (EMHF); and it is clear that, while there is much still to be done, there has been significant and sustained progress and good reason to believe that this is likely to continue – and in fact accelerate – over the next few years. 

Use of the whip

Let us consider whip use first. At the most recent World Horse Welfare Annual Conference in London in November, straplined ‘When Does Use Become Abuse’, one speaker was called upon to give strategic advice as to how to counter negative perceptions of equestrianism. 

What he decided to major on was striking. With the whole breadth of the equine sector from which to draw, he chose to hone in on horseracing and—more specifically yet—on the issue of whip use. It was a salutary further example of how, while the whip may be a tiresome distraction to many, it is front and centre in the minds of many of the public.

Is there any more emotive or divisive issue within racing than the whip? Admittedly, most racing professionals hold that it really is very difficult to hurt a horse with the mandated padded crops, even if one wanted to. And, with veterinary supervision at all tracks, it is impossible to get away with, even if one did. In brief, they don’t consider this a welfare issue, but rather one of public perception. 

But it is then that the divisions set in. Some conclude that all that is necessary to do has been done, and that any further restriction on the whip’s use would constitute pandering to an ignorant public. Others argue that, even if it is just a matter of public perception and the horses are not being hurt or abused, the sight of an animal being struck by a human is now anathema to increasingly broad swathes of society—in a similar way to the sight of a child being struck by an adult: a commonplace 50 years ago, but rare today. Therefore, the sport must act to be ahead of the curve of public sentiment in order to preserve its social licence.

How is this argument playing out? Let us look at a key element of the Rules of Racing in 18 European racing nations—the maximum number of strikes allowed in a race is a blunt measure, indeed, and one that takes no account of other variables such as the penalty regime for transgressions, but one that, nonetheless, paints a telling picture.

The first map shows how things stood 20 years ago. The majority of the countries are shown in black, denoting that there was no specified limit to the number of strikes. Just one appears in white – Norway banned the use of the whip as long ago as 1986.

The second paints the picture as it was 10 years ago. Eleven of the 18 countries had, in the intervening decade, changed their rules and applied a lower maximum number of strikes, and are shown in a lighter colour as a result.

Today’s situation is shown in the third map. All but one of the countries (excluding Norway) have tightened up their whip use rules still further over the past decade. None now allows unlimited use, and countries now banning the use of the whip for encouragement, number four.

It can be concluded that all countries across Europe are moving towards more restricted use of the whip. At different speeds and from different starting points, the direction of travel is common.

What will the situation be in another 10 years? Many administrators within EMHF countries, when asked to speculate on this, gave the view that there would be no whip tolerance within ten years and that the Scandinavian approach will have been adopted.  

On the other hand, Britain has recently concluded that the biggest public consultation on the subject and the new rules that are being introduced do not include a reduction in the number of strikes, but rather a series of other measures, including the possible disqualification of the horse and importantly, the requirement only to use the whip in the less visually offensive backhand position. 

Whether or not we will see a total ban within the next decade, it must be long odds-on that restrictions on whip use, across the continent, will be stricter again than they are today.

Aftercare

Twenty years ago, little thought was given to the subject of aftercare. There were some honourable exceptions: in Greece, the Jockey Club required its owners to declare if they could no longer provide for their horse, in which case it was placed in the care of an Animal Welfare organisation. Portugal had a similar reference in its Code. Most tellingly, in Britain a trail-blazing charity, Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), had been launched, following a review by the former British Horseracing Board.

Ten years ago, RoR had nearly 10,000 horses registered, had developed a national programme of competitions and events in other equestrian disciplines, and was holding parades at race-meeting to showcase the abilities of former racehorses to enter new careers. 

Di Arbuthnot, RoR’s chief executive, explains, “In the UK, a programme of activities for thoroughbreds had started to encourage more owner/riders to take on former racehorses.  This was supported by regional volunteers arranging educational help with workshops, clinics and camps to help the retraining process. Other countries were looking at this to see if similar ideas would work in Europe and beyond.

“Racing’s regulators had begun to think that this was an area they should be looking to help; retraining operators and charities that specialised in thoroughbreds were becoming recognised and supported; and classes at equestrian events began in some countries.  Owner/riders were looking to take on a thoroughbred in place of other breeds to compete or as a pleasure horse; the popularity of the thoroughbred was growing, not just by professional riders to use in equestrian disciplines, but also by amateurs to take on, care for and enjoy the many attributes of former racehorses.

“The aftercare of the thoroughbred was on the move.”

But not a great deal else was different in the European aftercare landscape.

Since then, however, there has been little short of an explosion of aftercare initiatives. In 2016, the International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) was born, “to advocate for the lifetime care of retired racehorses, to increase awareness within the international racing community of this important responsibility.” In this endeavour, IFAR is not in any way facing resistance from Racing Authorities – far from it. It is pushing against an open door. 

The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities has, as one of its twelve objectives, the promotion of aftercare standards. And the chair of its Welfare Committee, Jamie Stier, said some years ago that there is ‘now a better understanding and greater recognition that our shared responsibility for the welfare of racehorses extends beyond their career on the racetrack’. 

This direction from the top has been picked up and is increasingly being put into active practice. Also in 2016, France launched its own official charity Au Dela des Pistes, (‘beyond the racetrack’),  in 2020 Ireland followed suit with Treo Eile (‘another direction’). By 2019, in Britain, remarkably, many more thoroughbreds were taking part in dressage than running in steeplechases! 

So now the three main thoroughbred racing nations in Europe all have active and established aftercare programmes; and many other smaller racing nations are moving in that direction. It is not just a matter of repurposing in other equestrian pursuits – many of those horses retiring from racing that are not suited to competitive second careers are simply re-homed in retirement and others find profitable work in areas such as Equine Assisted Therapy. 

Arbuthnot (also chair of IFAR) adds: “For racing to continue as we know it, we must assure the general public, those that enjoy racing, that thoroughbreds are not discarded when their racing days are over and that they are looked after and have the chance of a second career.  It is up to all of us around the world to show that we care what happens to these horses wherever their racing days end and show respect to the thoroughbred that has given us enjoyment during their racing career, whether successful or not on the racecourse. If we do this, we help ensure that horse racing continues in our lifetime and beyond.”

It is important to publicise and promote the aftercare agenda, and the EMHF gives IFAR a standing platform at its General Assembly meetings. EMHF members have translated the IFAR ‘Tool Kit’—for Racing Authorities keen to adopt best practice—into several different European languages.

Time Down Under and Justine Armstrong-Small: Time Down Under failed to beat a single horse in three starts but following his retirement from racing, he has reinvented himself, including winning the prestigious showing title of Tattersalls Elite Champion at Hickstead in June 2022. Images courtesy of Hannah Cole Photography.

British racing recently established an independently chaired Horse Welfare Board. In 2020, the Board published its strategy ‘A Life Well Lived’, whose recommendations included collective lifetime responsibility for the horse, incorporating traceability across the lifetimes of horses bred for racing. 

Traceability will be key to future progress, and initiatives such as the electronic equine passport, which has been deployed among all thoroughbreds in Ireland and Britain, will play a vital part. Thoroughbred Stud Book birth records are impeccable, and we know the exact number of foals registered throughout this continent and beyond. The aim must be to establish the systems that enable us to ascertain, and then quantify the fate of each, at the least until their first port of call after retirement from racing.

Racecourse injuries

There can be nothing more distressing – for racing professionals and casual observers alike – than to see a horse break down. The importance of minimising racecourse injuries—and, worse still, fatalities—is something everyone agrees upon. What is changing, though, it would appear, is the potential for scientific advances to have a significant beneficial effect.

Of course, accidents can and do befall horses anywhere and they can never be eliminated entirely from sport. But doing what we can to mitigate risk is our ethical duty, and effectively publicising what we have done and continue to do may be a requirement for our continued social licence.   

There is much that can be said. It is possible to point to a large number of measures that have been taken over recent years, with these amongst them:

• Better watering and abandonment of jump racing if ground is hard 

• Cessation of jump racing on all-weather tracks 

• Cessation of jump racing on the snow 

• Safer design, construction and siting of obstacles

• By-passing of obstacles in low sunlight

• Colouring of obstacles in line with equine sight (orange to white)

• Heightened scrutiny of inappropriate use of analgesics

• Increased prevalence of pre-race veterinary examinations, with withdrawal of horses if necessary

• The outlawing of pin-firing, chemical castration, blistering and blood-letting

• Abandonment of racing in extreme hot weather

Many of the above relate to jump racing, and Britain has witnessed a reduction of 20% in jump fatality rates over the past 20 years. But there is more that must be done, and a lot of work is indeed being done in this space around the world. 

One of the most exciting recent developments is the design and deployment of ground-breaking fracture support kits which were distributed early in 2022 to every racecourse in Britain. 

Compression boots suitable for all forelimb fractures

By common consent, they represent a big step forward – they are foam-lined and made of a rigid glass reinforced plastic shell; they’re easily and securely applied, adjustable for varying sizes of hoof, etc. They reduce pain and anxiety, restrict movement which could do further damage, and allow the horse to be transported by horse ambulance to veterinary facilities. 

X-rays can then be taken through these boots, allowing diagnosis and appropriate treatment. These kits have proved their worth already: they were used on 14 occasions between April and December last year, and it would appear that no fewer than four of these horses have not only recovered but are in fine shape to continue their careers. It is easy to envisage these or similar aids being ubiquitous across European racetracks in the near future.

Modular splints suitable for slab fractures of carpal bones

Perhaps of greatest interest and promise are those developments which are predictive in nature, and which seek to identify the propensity for future problems in horses. 

Around the world, there are advances in diagnostic testing available to racecourse vets. PET scanners, bone scanners, MRI scanners and CT scanners are available at several tracks In America, genetic testing for sudden death is taking place, as is work to detect horses likely to develop arrhythmias of the heart.

Then there are systems that are minutely examining the stride patterns of horses while galloping to detect abnormalities or deviations from the norm. In America, a great deal of money and time is being spent developing a camera-based system and, in parallel, an Australian-US partnership is using the biometric signal analysis that is widely used in other sports. 

The company – StrideSAFE – is a partnership between Australian company StrideMASTER and US company Equine Analysis. They make the point that, while pre-race examinations that involve a vet trotting a horse up and down and looking for signs of lameness, can play a useful role, many issues only become apparent at the gallop. 

There are, in any case, limitations to what is discernible to the naked eye, which works at only 60 hertz. StrideMASTER’s  three-ounce movement sensors, which fit into the saddlecloth, work at 2,400 hertz, measuring movements in three dimensions – forward and backward, up and down and side to side, and building up a picture of each horse’s ‘stride fingerprint’.

In a blind trial, involving thousands of horses, 27 of which had suffered an injury, this system had generated a warning ‘red-flag’ for no fewer than 25 of them. The green lines in the centre of this diagram are this horse’s normal stride fingerprint; the red line was the deviant pattern that would have flagged up the potential problem, and the grey line was where the horse then sadly injured itself.

The ‘stride fingerprint’ of a racehorse

While the false-positive rate is impressive for such screening tools, another enemy of all predictive technologies is the false positive, and ways need to be found to take action on the findings without imposing potentially unnecessary restrictions on horses’ participation. At present, the StrideMASTER system is typically throwing up three or four red flags for runners at an Australian meeting—more in America. 

A study in the spring by the Kentucky Equine Drug Research Council, centering on Churchill Downs, will seek to hone in on true red flags and to develop a protocol for subsequent action.  David Hawke, StrideMaster managing director, expands, “Protocols will likely vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, depending on the imaging modalities available. At Churchill Downs, they will have a PET scan, and we will be going straight from red-flag to PET scan.” 

There will be other approaches available to regulators involving, for example, discussion with the trainer, a requirement for a clean vet’s certificate, or perhaps for a normal ‘fingerprint’, before racing next.          

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need for continued investment and resource allocation by Racing Authorities. But the will would seem to be there. In Britain, €7M from betting will, over the next three years, fund an extensive array of no fewer than 26 horse welfare projects, covering such matters as education and support for re-homers, analysis of medication data and clinical records, fatalities occurring off the track, ground/going research and obstacle improvement and development. That is a serious statement of intent and an illustration of just how high in importance the welfare of racehorses has now become.

Of course, not all racing nations have the resources to conduct such research. It will be vital, therefore, that the lessons learnt are shared throughout the racing world. In Europe, this is where the EMHF will play a vital role. The federation has always had, as primary aims, education and the adoption of best practice across its membership.

The hope must be that, through all these measures and many others in combination, we can assuage the concerns of the public sufficiently to retain our social licence. But let our ambitions not rest there. We must also strive to shift the debate, to move onto the front foot and invite a focus on the many positive aspects of racing, as an example of the partnership between man and horse that brings rich benefit to both parties. 

Elsewhere in this issue, there is a feature on racing in Turkey, and it was the founding father of that country, Kemal Ataturk, who famously said:

“Horseracing is a social need for modern societies.” 

We should reinforce at every opportunity the fact that racing provides colour, excitement, entertainment, tax revenues, rural employment, a sense of historical and cultural identity and much more to the human participants. It is also the very purpose of a thoroughbred’s life and rewards it with ‘a life well lived.’

We have a lot more to do, but let’s hope we can turn the tide of public opinion such that people increasingly look at life as did Ataturk.

Racing and breeding in Turkey

Article by Paull Khan

The true scale of the thoroughbred industry in Turkey is surely widely underestimated. Turkey is indeed a big hitter in the racing and breeding world, but much of its activity flies under the international radar. This is perhaps not unsurprising, as Turkish racing is almost completely closed. Of the 3,159 thoroughbred races run in the country annually, all but six are closed to foreign-trained runners. All its races may be broadcast across two television channels, but pictures of Turkish racing are rarely seen abroad; and unless one has a Turkish identity number, one cannot place a bet on those races on the Turkish Jockey Club’s  platforms. There are only 10 foreign-based owners in the country, and hardly any of its racehorses were bred anywhere other than in Turkey.

But shine a light on this sunniest and most welcoming of countries, and the vibrancy of the industry is remarkable.

Let’s take breeding first. The latest figures available to the International Stud Book Committee (the 2020 foal crop) show that Turkey is one of the few major thoroughbred breeding nations whose foal numbers have actually grown over the past decade. In 2010, Turkey ranked 15th in the world, in terms of number of foals bred, with 1,500. She now ranks as high as 9th in the world, with 2,103 foals – a 40% increase, no less, at a time when global production is in marked decline. Turkey is, in fact, the fastest-growing major breeding nation in the world. Amongst the top ten, only Ireland’s and Japan’s foal crops have increased over this decade, and both have seen much more modest growth than Turkey’s (15% and 11% respectively). And this Turkish expansion continues: some 2,280 foals were registered in 2022 – a further 8% rise.

Look down a racecard in Turkey, and you would be lucky to see a foreign-bred suffix beside any of the runners’ names. With only 24 out of 3,500+ horses having been foaled outside the country, such a racecard would be something of a collector’s piece. The explanation can be found in a regulation that only allows Thoroughbreds to be imported in the year of their birth. A striking example of the closed nature of Turkish racing, this rule is in place to support local breeders. Another disincentive to buying foreign-breds is that imported horses only receive 75% of the normal prize money. 

So, it is domestic production that, almost exclusively, fuels Turkey’s racing product. But that does not mean Turkey is closed to the purchase of foreign bloodstock. Far from it. It has embraced a long-term policy of importing stallions and broodmares strategically to build up the quality of its herd over time. Ten of these stallions are currently owned by the Turkish Jockey Club (TJC) and stand at one or another of their various Stud Farms, which also hosts 47 privately owned stallions. In this way, they are able to offer world-class stallions to their mare owners at knock-down prices.

The most expensive stallion, at least of those whose fees are in the public domain, Luxor, stands at under €8,000.

Current Champion Sire, 1998 Belmont Stakes winner Victory Gallop (CAN), heads the  roster of TJC-owned stallions. By the time TJC bought him from America in 2008, he was the sire of multiple-stakes winners. His nomination fee: around €3,000.

2007 Derby hero Authorized (IRE) now stands in Turkey.

A more familiar name to many European Trainer readers among the TJC’s team is 2007 Derby hero Authorized (IRE). Having stood at Dalham Hall, Newmarket and Haras de Logis in France, this sire of six individual Gp1 winners, as well as of Grand National winner Tiger Roll, was acquired by the TJC in 2019, where he stands at some €2,500.

Daredevil (USA), dual Gr1 winner for Todd Pletcher, was purchased by the TJC in 2019.

Daredevil (USA), dual Gr1 winner for Todd Pletcher, was purchased by the TJC in 2019 and stood the 2020 season in Turkey, before returning to his native USA to stand at Lane’s End Farm. However, the TJC have retained ownership of the horse. 

Ahmet Ozbelge, General Secretary of TJC, explains the rationale behind this arrangement and the Turkish philosophy on stallion purchases. “After we bought Daredevil, his offspring Shedaresthedevil and Swiss Skydiver performed incredibly well; and we subsequently received many offers from various US stud farms to buy or to stand him. We evaluated all offers and decided not to sell him because of his young age but to stand him at Lane’s End. This is a first for the Turkish breeding sector, and we are glad to be in such a collaboration, to the benefit of the global breeding industry.

“In Turkey, we have very strict criteria for breeding stock purchases from abroad, based on performances of the stallion or the mare in question but also of his/her progeny’s performances. On top of that, we work hard to select the best-suited ones for our country’s specific conditions, including racetrack types, race dıstances, conformation and bloodlines. We also try to build up a good variety in our stallion pool in order to meet the various expectations of our breeders.”

Rising foal numbers are but one example of how Turkey is, in many ways, swimming against the tide. While many countries are seeing a slow decline in their racecourse numbers, Turkey is adding to its roll. Antalya is the latest addition, and it would take a brave punter to bet against further tracks opening their doors in the coming years.

Some €70M will be distributed across Turkey’s national race programme, creating a more than respectable average prize money of €8,200 per race, with owner’s and breeder’s Premiums boosting this to €11,300 per race. 

The TJC has no fewer than 2,300 people on its payroll and an outlook that places social engagement higher up the list of priorities than do many racing authorities – perhaps in part to win over the hearts and minds of a populace which tends to be disapproving and to conflate racing and betting. For example, the racecourses offer not only pony and horse rides for the general public but also free equine assisted therapy for the handicapped. 

Pony Rides for children and the disabled are routinely offered at Turkish racecourses.

How is an industry of this size sustained? In a word – and unsurprisingly – through betting. Horserace betting has long provided a rich seam of income for the TJC via a formula of which most racing governing bodies can only dream and which is likely to have yielded some €190M in 2022. 

By international standards, the Turkish punter gets a raw deal, indeed, with only a 50% return on his stakes. The TJC retains an eye-watering 22% of monies staked, with the remaining 28% slice going to the government. Other income streams for the TJC pale into insignificance: any money from sponsorship, for example, is heavily taxed at a rate of 74%. 

Enviable though the TJC’s position may be to many Racing Authorities, it rues the fact that sports betting enjoys yet more favourable treatment. “This is a key point, actually,” explains Ozbelge. “There is a seven-point tax gap between the two sectors in favour of sports betting, which allows them to offer higher payouts. As football is so popular and the most beloved sport in Turkey, we have so many common punters to both racing and football. As a result, they can easily be driven away from the lower payout environment to high payouts.” The paucity of the horseracing return is most evident in single bets, and least apparent in exotics such as the Pick 6 - the Turks’ favourite bet.

To support Ozbelge’s point, sports betting dwarfs horserace betting, accounting for no less than 90% –  to racing’s 10% – of legal betting activity. To what extent this is due to the payout differential is difficult to tell. There is also the underlying relative popularity of football which he alludes to; and a further factor may be that, while racing offers pool betting, sports betting is fixed odds. (Exchange betting is outlawed in the country due to integrity concerns). 

What is clear is that, with payouts so low, the temptation to bet via the illegal websites is high. “We import race meetings from different countries to prevent Turkish citizens from betting on illegal sites on these races,” continues Ahmet Ozbelge. Even so, it is estimated that the scale of illegal betting at least matches that of legitimate betting.

If European punters and bloodstock agents are likely to find the Turkish landscape somewhat alien, so too might trainers and owners, as the structure is, again, very different.

General Secretary Mr. Ahmet Ozbelge .

There are 795  trainers in the country whose licences allow them to train thoroughbreds or purebred Arabians. There are almost as many Arab races as thoroughbred races, and the prize money is similar. Between the codes, there are over 8,000 horses in training.There is no jump racing nor trotting. A quarter of the race programme is on turf: the majority of races are run on sand with around 10% on a synthetic surface.

To retain their licences, trainers must attend compulsory training sessions, which have heretofore been annual, but are about to be moved onto an ‘as required’ basis. The great majority of trainers train US-style on the racetracks, and each track has plentiful boxes for the local horses-in-training. 

But here’s the thing: for the most part, trainers do not charge a fee to their owners, in the manner of those in Western Europe. Their sole remuneration is, rather, a percentage of their horses’ earnings – 5% or 10%. (Some do strike separate agreements with their owners for a fixed salary, but this is not the norm).

The owner, for his or her part, is then responsible for all their horses’ expenses. However, what one might imagine would be a hefty part of those costs –  that of the horse’s stable at the racetrack – is again heavily subsidised by the TJC, who charge just €15 to €20 (depending on the racecourse) per annum per box. The owner’s total expenses – including the salary and insurance of the stable staff, feed, bedding, veterinary expenses, etc. – are not far in excess of €1,000 per month. But, lest this information should start a goldrush amongst European owners, salivating at the potential returns on investment, it should be explained that not everyone can become an owner in Turkey. One must have a Turkish residence permit and be able to demonstrate financial sufficiency. This explains why there are only 10 foreign-national owners on the TJC’s books.

Turkey is one of a select few European countries with internationally recognised Group races (the others being France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, the three Scandinavian countries and Italy). The Gp2 Bosphorus Cup (3yo+, 2,400m/12f) and Gp3 Topkapi Trophy (3yo+, 1,600m/8f) are the richest, worth north of €150,000. The Istanbul Trophy (Gr3), for fillies and mares, makes up its Group-race trio. All are run over the turf course at Istanbul’s impressive Veliefendi racetrack –  the main centre and flagship of Turkish racing. They are joined by the International Thrace Trophy (turf) and International France Galop FRBC Anatolia Trophy (dirt), both of which are international Listed Races. The only other open race takes place at the nation’s capital, Ankara, being the Queen Elizabeth II Cup for two-year-old thoroughbreds; but this has never attracted any European runners.

The start of the Gazi Derby.

Richer than all of these is the Gazi Derby, a €330,000 race run over the classic mile and a half in late June. 

Veliefendi is not, however, Turkey’s oldest racecourse. That honour goes to Izmir, at which members of the EMHF’s Executive Council spent a most enjoyable day’s racing in September, following this year’s annual meeting. 

The window into Turkish racing has for some years been its International Festival, at which all Veliefendi’s international races are run. Its wide – up to 36 metres – turf track and attractive prize money once proved highly popular with foreign trainers, who frequently made the journey to Istanbul in September. The Topkapi Trophy , for example, saw a 10-year unbroken spell of foreign-trained winners, with Michael Jarvis, Mike De Kock, William Haggas, Richard Hannon Snr., Kevin Ryan, Andrew Balding and Sascha Smrczek all making the scoresheet. However, COVID has brought about a sea-change in behaviour, and there has not been a foreign-trained winner of any Turkish Group race for the past five years. 

EMHF ExCo members at Izmir Racecourse.

Inevitably, the quality of the race fields has suffered. In 2022, the Topkapi Trophy had to be downgraded from Gp2 as a result, and the pressure on all the Turkish Group races is unlikely to ease unless and until the raiders can be enticed back.

Turkey’s governance structure is also a little unusual. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry plays a very hands-on role when it comes to regulation – appointing the Stewards and taking responsibility for race day operations and doping control. The Jockey Club itself operates under the provisions of a triad agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Turkish Wealth Fund, which is the holder of the licence for racing and betting in Turkey.

The TJC prides itself on its not-for-profit status and ethos. Ozbelge explains: “Having a centralised governing system of the racing, breeding and betting activities by a nonprofit organisation with a non commercial approach, but rather a ‘horsemen’ one, with a main goal being to develop [the] racing industry by improving the racehorse breed in the country, has many advantages. This system supports the horse owners and breeders by offering them world-class stallions for very reasonable covering fees, offering boarding and veterinary services of high quality for minimum possible costs to them. Also, supplying the industry with well-educated jockeys in its own Apprentice School and delivering live broadcasting of all races through two TV channels and so on. 

“But when one thinks about the cost of all of these investments as well as all the facilities that the Club has to operate with its staff of 2,300 experienced people, with betting revenue being its sole income, it’s easy to see that this has many challenges that come with it. But the main challenge is the unfortunate general perception of ‘gambling’ of our beloved sport, which is considered the king of sports and the sport of kings throughout the world. With a little bit of support or at least a ‘fair approach’ in comparison to betting on other sporting activities, Turkey has great potential to be a major player in the world league of horse racing.”     

So, what are the prospects of the veil over Turkish racing being lifted? 

There is hope of a new media rights deal which promises to bring pictures of Turkish races to an international audience. But those hoping to see Turkey adopt the policy of most of its European neighbours – namely that of having open races – are likely to be disappointed. Ozbelge again: “As Turkey is not in close proximity to major racing countries in Europe, horses cannot travel frequently by road as between central European countries, but only by air in order to participate in international races. As one can imagine, this is quite costly, and in order to attract some horses from abroad, the prize money is the key factor here. So, it all comes down to the economics of the industry and of the country for sure. We do plan and hope to have more international races, but we can realise it only if and when we have the right infrastructure and dynamics for it.”   

International racing returns to Morocco

Article by Paull Khan

Casablanca will host the latest of its well-established and handsomely endowed International Thoroughbred Race Days. Entries for the four races, which are run on Saturday the 19th of November, close at the end of October. 

Headlining is the €110,200 Grand Prix de la SOREC, one of the international Defi du Galop series of events, run over 2400m/12f for 3yo’s and up. The support card comprises a 1750m/8.75f event for 3yo fillies (€64,300), a race for the 3yo colts over 1900m/9.5f (€55,100) and a 1750m/8.75f for the staying 2yo (€25,700). All races are run on the dirt track. Entry fees are around one percent of the race fund.

SOREC (the Moroccan racing authority) is eager to see the festival get fresh impetus after the sad interruption due to COVID. Keen to encourage international participation, it will be putting on a plane to transport runners from a central European location (exact departure point to be determined), awarding travel allowances of up to €3,000 per horse, meeting the costs of flights and accommodation for the owner, trainer and jockey and hosting a gala dinner. Stable staff will be put up at the nearby training centre, where the visiting horses will be stabled.

“Since 2015,” explains Hicham Debbagh, SOREC’s deputy general manager in charge of horse racing, “our objective was to install the Morocco International Meeting in the international calendar, through attractive prize money and free air transport, in order to guarantee the best reception conditions for horses and professionals. Prior to COVID, things were progressing nicely, and we were attracting good horses from England, France, Libya, Netherlands, Oman, Poland, Qatar, Spain, Syria and UAE. Now that travel has opened up again, we look forward to building our festival back up as an international destination. Welcome to Morocco!”

Anfa Racecourse is an oasis of calm and beauty in the sprawling metropolis that is Casablanca. Trainers might well consider a Moroccan raid. Prize money extends down to fifth place, and the average field size for the four races in (pre-COVID) 2019 was 11. At the same time, it provides connections with the chance to experience racing in a nearby country with a fascinatingly distinct culture, and it will be helping inject the necessary quality of the runners to enable Morocco to achieve its dream of acquiring its first Black Type race.

First European Pony Racing Association meeting in Budapest

Article by Paull Khan

Those in charge of pony racing travelled to Budapest from all over Europe to attend the inaugural annual meeting of the European Pony Racing Association (EPRA) on September 11th. Representatives from Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Norway, Slovakia and Sweden had, the previous day, witnessed three pony races that kick-started the quality thoroughbred card at Hungary’s sole track, Kincsem Park. They were universally impressed at the professionalism of the pony racing, the hospitality and the great strides which Kincsem Park has made in recent years. It is a very different racecourse from the one that hosted an early EMHF meeting in 2013 and as striking an example of diversity as one can find. Today, every square metre of the track’s footprint is put to productive use. In addition to the flagship thoroughbred racing, there is greyhound racing, trotting, a training centre, show jumping, four-in-hand driving and more. There is even a rugby pitch inside the greyhound track!

Increased internationalisation of pony racing, with the best young riders having the opportunity to experience race-riding in other countries, is an aim of the EPRA, and it was pleasing to witness history being made. Czech youngster Sophy Bodlakova became the first foreign-based winner of a Hungarian pony race when she scored on her pony Saman!

While for some EPRA member countries, such as France, Sweden and Britain, pony racing is a well-established pursuit; for some, it is a very new endeavour, and for others yet, it is something to be established in the near future. The imparting of knowledge and identification of best practice will therefore be central to the fledgling association. 

Slovakia’s experience bears witness to the fact that countries need not wait for long, after setting up a pony racing structure, to see the benefits begin to flow, in the shape of new jockeys. It was only last year that the first pony races took place at Bratislava racetrack, but from the alumni of that first cohort, there are this year no fewer than four amateur riders licence-holders. For those many countries experiencing difficulties in sourcing competent race riders, a pony racing structure is a must-have.

At the EPRA meeting, a minute’s silence was observed in honour of Jack de Bromhead, who tragically lost his life in a pony racing incident in Ireland. 

For many delegates, it was the first experience of pony racing outside their own countries. Next year, the EPRA has accepted a kind invitation from France to host.

Botond Kovacs, head of pony racing in this year’s host country, commented: “We have been thrilled to host the first European Pony Racing Association meeting. The rise in profile of pony racing is very refreshing to see. The European Pony Racing community is taking shape and it feels like we’ve been put on the map—a map that the world of racing has a keen eye on.”

Racing in Switzerland - it's not just about racing on snow!

Article by Paull Khan

Think of racing in Switzerland, and the fabulous White Turf meeting on Lake St. Moritz probably comes to mind. This is no surprise, of course. The EMHF was fortunate to hold its General Assembly there in 2015, and for many of our delegates, including your columnist, it remains among the most memorable racing adventures of all. But there is so much more to racing in that country.

Sadly, St Moritz’s little sister track, which provided racing on the frozen lake at Arosa, is no longer with us. Weather conditions in recent years meant that there had become a worse than even-money chance of abandonment—a situation that was just not financially sustainable.

But the full roster of Swiss thoroughbred tracks still extends to seven. (Although one of the tracks, at Fehraltorf, which had upheld a 75-year tradition of racing over the Easter holiday, remains in a state of hiatus following an altercation last year with a neighbour farmer, who took the dramatic and disruptive decision to plough up the racing surface.)

Jump racing is the primary focus at Aarau and Maienfeld, while the flat dominates at Zurich-Dielsdorf, Frauenfeld (home of the Swiss Derby) and at the track that is the financial powerhouse of Swiss racing, Avenches.

This August saw celebrations for the 150th year of the Zurich race club, which coincided with 50 years of its current racecourse, at the small nearby town of Dielsdorf. A two-day festival was crafted, during which the 1500-metre, pancake-flat turf track staged 14 races: nine thoroughbred flat, two trotting and three pony. This left-hand track also boasts a jump course, but this is used infrequently these days.

Interwoven with the races, there was an appearance of the 250-year-old Bernese Dragoons, a mesmeric display from world-renowned Jean-Francois Pignon’s ‘free dressage’ horses, after-racing musical acts and, notably, a parade of former equine stars of Swiss racing showing off their expertise in new-found careers. Aftercare has long been a feature of Swiss racing. Horses tend to stay in training for longer than the norm on the flat, allowing the public to build up the kind of rapport with them normally associated with jump racing. In addition, they tend to race more frequently than in most countries, averaging nearly eight starts annually and this helps to buoy field sizes and makes for attractive, competitive racing generally.

The substantial crowds were engaged and relaxed, and it all made for a wonderfully rewarding racing experience.  

When it comes to funding, Swiss racing is swimming against the tide, in many ways akin to the experience in Belgium, described in the last issue of Trainer. This is because, with one principal exception, there is no opportunity for people within or outside the country to place bets on Swiss races unless they are on-track. The twin State-installed institutions (one French-language, the other German), which between them enjoy a betting monopoly, decline to include domestic racing within their product mix. The exception is Avenches, where the bulk of the races has been taken on by the French betting giant PMU, are shown on the Equidia channel, and are available to Swiss and French citizens to bet on, in cafes, bars and kiosks and online. (In 2022, a few PMU races were also held in Frauenfeld and Dielsdorf). The commission from this betting activity is vital to Avenches and also helps support Swiss racing generally, but the other Swiss tracks rely critically on donations and sponsor contributions.

Unsurprisingly, the scale of the industry has suffered a worrying contraction. What had been a slow but steady reduction in the numbers of owners, horses, races and prize money between 2015 and 2019 accelerated dramatically in the COVID year of 2020. Over the past seven years, prize money has halved, and the numbers of horses and owners have reduced by 51 percent and 48 percent, respectively.

The Swiss race programme is heavily weighted towards staying races. While Handicaps are out of bounds to foreign-trained runners, they only constitute a modest proportion of the race programme and all conditions races are open. Average prize money per race remains very respectable, at nearly €10,000. The Grand Prix von St Moritz is, at €100K, clearly the nation’s richest race. Other significant prizes include the Grand Prix d’Avenches (€20k for 3yo+, weight-for-ages, 2400m/12f), Zurich’s Grand Prix Jockey Club (€50k for 3yo+, weight-for-age, 2475m/12f+), and the Swiss Derby (€50K). The country’s main jump race is the €35K Grand Prix of Switzerland, run over (4200m/21f) in beautiful surroundings at Aarau in September with a limited weight range of just 3kgs.

For five years, between 2014 and 2018, both the Grand Prix d’Avenches and the Grand Prix Jockey Club boasted Black Type. Regrettably, neither managed to maintain the strict ratings threshold required of such races in Europe. Fresh hope has been generated by the new scheme, agreed this year, whereby EMHF member countries without a Black Type race can apply for such recognition for a single, flagship event which is allowed a rating 5lbs lower than normal. There is a real desire that one or another of these races can clear this lowered bar but, as is normally the case, this is likely to hinge on their attracting foreign-trained runners rated 95+ on the international scale. And, considering the decent prizes, foreign-trained runners are relatively thin on the ground, accounting for under five percent of starters. British and German raiders are attracted to the snow, Czech runners to some of the jumps races, but foreign runners on the flat have been in single figures over the past two years.

There was, in fact, a third milestone included within the Zurich celebrations: the tenth anniversary of Horse Park Dielsdorf. The Horse Park brings together the racing and equestrian worlds in a way which could surely be gainfully replicated in many more parts of Europe. Alongside the racetrack and training barns housing 150 horses, there are FEI-standard facilities for show jumping and dressage. A recent addition, completed within the past year, is a large stylish building which, in its restaurant configuration, comfortably seats 250 with a fine view of the racing. Various facilities around the complex are available year-round to the general public for hire. In investing some €8M into this project, Race Club President Anton Kraeuliger has demonstrated both a recognition of the importance of sweating the asset that is the racecourse and an enduring belief in Swiss racing. Let us hope that this confidence is well-placed and that racing in this most beautiful of European countries, can look forward to a thriving future.

Racing in the Channel Islands

Guernsey Race Club L'Ancresse meeting 2019. (C. Martin Gray)

By Dr Paull Khan

In a golden spell of several months earlier this jumps season, the exploits of a 12-year-old handicap hurdler named Kansas City Chief and his 21-year-old 7-lb claiming amateur rider Victoria Malzard seemed to be on British television screens almost every Saturday afternoon, ensuring that racing in Jersey (where Malzard is based and the horse is sometimes trained by her mother, Alyson) received perhaps unprecedented publicity. Channel Islands racing does not normally figure high in the consciousness of racefans in Britain—still less, doubtless, in the rest of Europe.

So, what is racing like on these small islands, lying close to the French coast, enjoying a complicated relationship with the United Kingdom? (The Channel Islands—not being part of the UK—were never part of the European Union, so ‘Chexit’ was never a thing.)

There are two Channel Islands racetracks: the CoinShares Les Landes on Jersey and L’Ancresse on Guernsey. The former traditionally stages some nine fixtures annually, bookended by Easter Monday and the late-August bank holiday. It is a left-handed turf track of one mile’s circumference. The usual pattern is to kick off with a hurdle race. The temporary hurdles are then moved off the track, clearing the way for four races on the level. Last year, most races were run for a £2,800 prize fund, with the feature race of the day worth up to £4,750. 

L'Ancresse is a temporary track, having to be laboriously set up and taken down each year. Like Les Landes, a turf course, it is by contrast right-handed, with a circumference of nine furlongs. In recent pre-pandemic years, the big race of the day has been the Ravencroft Channel Islands Handicap, which is over around six furlongs and billed as the richest race on either island, with a prize fund of £5,000.

L’Ancresse normally races on but a single day each year—on the early-May bank holiday. But these are not normal times. There has been no racing on Guernsey since 2019, and 2022 will be the third blank year in a row. What COVID-19 began, the island’s wildlife has conspired to continue. Trevor Gallienne, Guernsey Race Club President, picks up the story: “We’ve had an invasion of rabbits over the past two years and also massive crow damage to the grass.” 

No Guernsey-based trainer survives, and so the island is perhaps unique in the world in staging a race meeting; but having no domestic horses in training—a situation Gallienne himself describes as a ‘bizarre business model’. Therefore, even when trainers based in Jersey, or in the UK or France, have been tempted to enter, the meeting remains entirely dependent on the vagaries of the weather. 

“There are obviously wave restrictions on the boats bringing the horses over and, a few years ago, none of the horses were able to travel and we had to call the meeting off.” Nothing, if not resourceful, however, the Club averted complete financial disaster through persuading those booked into the hospitality marquee to attend a race night in a hotel, instead. Despite all this, there is a resolve to restart, in 2023, the tradition of racing on the island that began over 120 years ago.

A 30-kilometre hop southwest brings you to Jersey’s Les Landes, which has endured similarly turbulent times since COVID-19 struck. “2019 was a very successful year over here”, explains Bunny Roberts, Jersey Race Club President. “And then in 2020, we were hit slam-bang and we had a completely blank year, during which we were still having to pay wages and maintain the course. By 2021, we were in a dire position—the reserves were running out.”

Thankfully, the story takes a happier turn, and in 2022 the race club’s finances are healthy again, and a full and normal fixture list is planned. “We managed to pull it round. We created a very good committee, our patrons stepped up to the plate in a big way, and we are fortunate in that so much of what is done is done voluntarily by people who love the sport. Last year, despite government restrictions at each meeting, we managed to run eight of our nine meetings, albeit later than usual. We were unbelievably lucky with the weather. The crowds supported us, despite the public bar being closed. We allowed people to bring in picnics. For this year, sponsorship is buoyant, and we have eleven £5,000 races, with the minimum now up to £3,000.”

An absence of income from off-track betting or media rights means that the course’s survival depends on creative marketing, with multiple sponsorship offerings, merchandising and a golf day all critical to the financial mix. Roberts takes an upbeat view of the future for Les Landes generally and more specifically of landing the holy grail of media rights income in the future. “It will depend on field size and field quality. Last year the fields were great and the quality of horses in training on the island has improved; we have many rated between 65 and 80. I honestly believe we will get there.”

It is undeniable that, despite relatively modest prize money, there is a healthy interest amongst British-based trainers in taking horses to the islands. In the last pre-pandemic year of 2019, no fewer than nine made the voyage over to Jersey: Neil Mulholland, Phil McEntee, Eve Johnson Houghton, Michael Appleby, John O’Neill, Richard Guest, Colin Heard, Victor Dartnall and Natalie Lloyd-Beavis. Mulholland was well clear as the most successful, with 13 wins of around £30,000, at an impressive strike rate of over 50%.

In addition, four Brits: David Evans, Michael Appleby, Natalie Lloyd-Beavis and Brian Barr sent runners to Guernsey and collectively made a clean sweep on the day, with Evans picking up three of the day’s races, and Appleby the other two.  

What, then, is the appeal to these trainers and their owners? “For us it started about eight years ago”, explains Mulholland. “Jim Jamouneau (of Guernsey Race Club) came to the yard one day and said, ‘Why don’t you come to Guernsey?’ We had an owner, Mike Burbage (director of Dajam Ltd), who liked a weekend away, liked the fun, and going to Guernsey for the weekend appealed to him. On our first ever trip, we finished first and second. But every single year we’ve been to the Channel Isles, we’ve had at least one winner, which has made the trip worthwhile. We’ve been Champion Trainer twice. It’s a good weekend away, we enjoy it, and it’s pretty simple really. We go either from Poole, which is the fast boat, or Southampton. We did have to miss one meeting last year because of the weather.”

What kind of horse is suited to Les Landes? “You need something that travels and is well-balanced”, answers Mulholland. The view is supported by local trainer James Moon, whose yard is far enough from Les Landes that he does not use the training track which runs inside the main track, but rather has his own gallops designed to mimic Les Landes’ unique features. “You have to have an intelligent, balanced and tough horse to win round Jersey, with its undulating surface, stiff finish, hard back stretch with a drop-down and both tight and sweeping bends. It’s great for educating horses both young and old.” Another USP is that there are no starting stalls, with all races being started by flag, making it of particular interest to trainers with recalcitrant starters.

While Brexit has not been relevant to links with Britain, it has affected travel to and from mainland Europe and, for those like the Francophile Moon, it has not been welcome. “It’s totally ruined things”, is Moon’s blunt assessment. “It’s made it massively expensive and all the unnecessary paperwork to fill out—the Coggins test, customs paperwork. We took three over to Pornichet last August. It was a real faff—I’m glad we had a winner and a place.” The hassle, however, is not sufficient to put Moon off making future forays to France. “The prize money’s much better, there’s more choice of races and we have French-breds which qualify for the premiums. They pay out down to sixth place; they look after the owners and the breeders. Since Brexit and COVID, we’ve taken the decision that our breeding stock will stay in France.” 

For its part, the Channel Islands Racing and Hunt Club—the governing authority for racing on the islands—is keen to facilitate visiting connections. “We welcome them with open arms”, its honorary secretary, Jonathan Perrée points out, “and try to minimise the bureaucracy as much as possible.”

The low volume of races on the islands and modest prize money beg the question: How do Jersey-based trainers survive? Moon explains, “A lot of the yards over here have split operations, with livery in another yard. The liveries keep the yards buoyant through the winter months.”   

For Moon, there is one feature of Jersey’s geography that is of distinct benefit to its trainers. “We’ve got lots of lovely flat beaches, without rocks or holes, so a lot of the trainers will use the sands.” Plans to bring beach racing back to Jersey have been put on the back burner due to COVID-19, but it would be popular with Moon. 

“It would be a beautiful, perfect surface for the horses. It would probably ride a bit like Southwell. I think a lot of the trainers would be up for it. And it would be a great spectacle and would also encourage people to come up to the racecourse. It’s definitely the kind of thing they should look at.” The first ever Channel Isles races were on the beach, at St Aubin. Would there not be an elegant symmetry, were beach racing to return to the island, nearly 200 years later?

The enthusiasm and dedication of those who run Channel Islands racing cannot be questioned, and it is to be hoped that its dark days are behind us. I will make a prediction. I suspect that, over the next few years, more British trainers will discover that racing at these beautiful tracks provides all the ‘mini-vacation’ benefits for their owners without any of the Brexit-related costs and hassle. With a fair wind—and I use that term advisedly—we could see an explosion of keen international competition on the Channel Isles.

Spain back in the Black Type big time new policy offers hope for other ‘smaller’ racing nations

La Zarzuela racecourse, Madrid

By Dr Paull Khan

This year’s winner and placed horses in the Gran Premio de Madrid—run on Saturday, June 25th at Madrid’s La Zarzuela racetrack—will qualify for ‘black type’ in sales catalogues. This follows a decision by the European Pattern Committee (EPC) to approve a new ‘flagship race’ scheme designed to give ‘emerging’ EMHF racing nations a leg up in their quest for international recognition of their best races.

When news of the decision broke, the deadline for entries for this historical race—run on turf for three-year-olds and up, over 2,500 metres with a prize fund of €68,000—was days away. So, the track extended the deadline by a few days, while its new status was publicised. This paid dividends, with two additional entries received from Great Britain and France. There is still ‘room at the inn’, there being a Supplementary Entry stage on June 20th. 

La Zarzuela’s director-general, Alvaro Gutierrez

La Zarzuela’s director-general, Alvaro Gutierrez, gave his reaction to the development: “For La Zarzuela, who have just celebrated 80 years since opening, and for the whole Spanish horseracing industry—to get back a Black Type race means a lot. We have been working over recent years to be more international and develop our races in quality and level. We have very good tracks and very good professionals that demonstrate, whenever they compete abroad, the quality of our horses. Our local Category A races are really well-situated in prize money terms. We deserve to be recognised by IFHA again with a Black Type race—it will help us to continue developing and improving our horse racing program.”

The Spanish Jockey Club’s Paulino Ojanguren, an EMHF executive council member, agrees: “Black Type races mean good horses, good trainers and good jockeys; and that is what people want to see at the racetrack. A race like the Gran Premio de Madrid is a very good reason to attend the meeting and also a reward for everybody who has been involved in horse racing during the last difficult years.”

La Zarzuela is certainly a striking racecourse. Its signature ‘rippled’ grandstand roof, designed way back in the 1930s by pioneering structural engineer Eduardo Torroja, seems to float almost weightlessly above you. But how does its grass track ride?

“La Zarzuela is one of the most beautiful racetracks in Europe”, says Gutierrez. “It is a monument in its own right, which is in the running for World Heritage by UNESCO on the strength of its architecture and legacy. Also, the facilities are really good and the turf track always has the best of care. Horses here need to be fast because the pace normally is strong, they normally need to be suited by fast ground and to be tough, as the 3-furlong final straight is demanding, with the last furlong uphill. So, in essence, quality horses appreciate our racetrack.

“In 2020, before COVID started, we organised an international female jockeys championship and the feedback from jockeys and trainers was universally really good about our facilities and organisation. Prize money payments are made within 21 days. That’s why we have been visited in recent years by international horses and trainers, such as: Carlos Laffon-Parias, Mauricio Delcher-Sanchez, Christophe Ferland, Andrew Balding, Ed Dunlop, Jean-Laurent Dubord and Nicolas Caullery.”

So, what exactly is this ‘flagship race’ policy, how did it come about and what does it mean for other smaller European racing nations? 

Jason Morris

Europe has long led the way when it comes to the quality control of its pattern. It laudably applies the rules by which races are designated Group I, II or III or Listed with a strictness that is unparalleled around the world. But there has long been the feeling that, for those countries without Black Type races, this makes entry into the Black Type ‘club’ unduly difficult. In recent years, the EMHF has been inching closer to finding a proposal that ‘squares this circle’ to the EPC’s approval. It was Jason Morris, racing director at Horse Racing Ireland and newly appointed chair of the EPC, who came up with the formula which got the idea over the line and met with unanimous EPC support. He explains:

“The EPC supported a proposal from Ireland to take supportive action for the development of racing in the smaller EMHF racing nations. Growing the importance of racing in more EMHF countries will potentially produce political, promotional and commercial benefits for the industry throughout Europe. Helping to stimulate interest in racing in more European countries, improving the quality and standards of the racing and breeding industries within a broader swathe of the EMHF, growing potential export and ownership markets, and encouraging greater international participation and political recognition are all potential benefits.”

“Leading the way in quality control will remain the EPC’s strong ambition. However, pushing for that objective should not prevent us from assisting the development of the smaller EMHF countries. So, in order to move forwards, the EPC agreed to adopt a more liberal approach and agree to a lower Listed rating requirement on the basis that this would only apply to one race per smaller country.”

The full criteria are these:

• An emerging country must adhere to basic EMHF-defined administration/integrity standards and be a member of the EMHF.

• A maximum of one qualifying race is permitted per emerging country which qualifies on the basis of a lower rating parameter/tolerance level.

• This lower parameter/tolerance level is 5 lbs below the normal Listed race levels (i.e., 95 lbs, rather than 100 lbs, with the exception of fillies/mares and two-year-old races, where the thresholds are lower). 

• A race from an emerging country must have achieved this required (lower) rating at least twice in the past three years, meaning that races must have been run at least twice. 

• The race’s prize fund must be a minimum of €50,000.

• A qualifying race is given three years to establish itself before being subject to review and could be downgraded if falling below the lower ‘exceptional’ parameter/tolerance level thereafter (with the general principle being that it must either achieve the 5-lb lower average race rating over three years or the annual rating in two years out of the three renewals).

• If a country wishes to seek Listed status for more than one race or Group status for any race, all Black Type races from that country must meet the full normal rating parameters; and the country would then become an associate member of the European Pattern Committee.

Trainers can thus get a good handle on the likely winnability of these Black Type races from knowing that the average rating of the first four home over recent renewals will have been between 95 and 100.

“An aspiration for the EPC”, Morris continues, “would be that the award of Listed status to one race would serve as a catalyst to improve their race programme and horse population, hopefully propelling them to become associate members in time (allowing more than one race to achieve Listed status if reaching the standard rating parameters).”

No fewer than five countries made applications under the new scheme, despite having only a few weeks in which to do so. In this, the first year, Spain was the only country whose chosen race rated highly enough, but it is our strong hope that, with more time in which to plan, other countries will be successful in the future.

“It is very pleasing that Spain has already been able to achieve the required level for Listed status to be awarded to the Gran Premio de Madrid and that several other countries were keen to put forward races, which will hopefully qualify for future consideration. The EPC will work with the respective rating authorities on trying to standardise their rating file levels with European norms to facilitate future evaluations.”

“An emerging country with aspirations for a race to be awarded Listed status by the EPC, but not yet achieving the rating requirements, will hopefully take encouragement to target the key race(s) within their jurisdiction for the future with enhanced prize money and promotion to boost the quality of the races. For races in an emerging country to be successful, strong communication of the opportunities internationally and incentives to encourage high quality overseas participation will be important.”  

This European scheme could form a blueprint for the development of smaller racing nations in other regions of the globe. Your correspondent represents emerging countries on the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ Executive Council, and discussions with counterpart ‘ExCo’ member for the Asian Racing Federation, Bruce Sherwin of New Zealand, have revealed an interest in its adoption in Asia as well.

International Horse Movement - under the spotlight

At the annual European Horse Network / MEP’s Horse Group Conference in Brussels

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen opened the conference held in Brussels 16 November 2021 with a message of support. Paull Khan, secretary-general of the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation, then spoke on international horse movement and, in specific, in the context of the three political and legal factors of Brexit, the EU Animal Health Law and the review of Animal Welfare regulations, particularly the Transport Regulation.

Khan looked at things primarily through a “thoroughbred lens,” but also included other relevant equine sectors. Explaining why horse movement is so important to our sector, Khan pointed out, “Horse racing is not only a serious sport, it is a serious business. We estimated last year that the economic impact of racing in Europe is some €23bn per annum, and the sector directly employs over 100,000 people, mainly in rural areas. 

“Horse racing is widespread across the EU. Seventeen of our European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation members are EU member states—the same for our sister organisation, the European Trotting Union; and movement of thoroughbreds is central to this industry.”

While other agricultural animals will typically only move internationally once, if at all, usually for slaughter, horses, particularly racehorses and sports horses, frequently move between countries for reasons other than slaughter. Khan stressed the importance of repeating this to those outside our sector: “As legislators may have in their minds ‘travel for slaughter,’ when they think of international travel of horses and other animals.” Almost 90,000 equines in a normal year travel internationally within, or to and from, the EU; and it is estimated that nearly 60% of these movements are not for slaughter.

“For thoroughbreds, it starts at the very beginning—at their conception,” said Khan. “So the movement of mares to visit stallions is essential. And it is vital, for the improvement of the breed and in order that Europe retains its competitive pre-eminence in this area, that mare owners are able to select from a broad panel of stallions, which may be based in other countries. There are growing concerns in the Stud Book community about inbreeding. Limiting the geographical footprint is an obvious way to restrict that gene pool.”

He went on to point out that during the horse’s racing career, the better it is, the more likely it will travel internationally to contest the best races. “Again, this process is critical to the improvement of the breed. The performances of a racehorse within any given country are only truly validated when that horse is tested by racing the best in other countries.”

Moving on to the issues posed by Brexit, Khan reminded us that the three countries with the largest thoroughbred industries—France, Ireland and Great Britain—had relied on the former Tripartite Agreement to allow for largely free and unrestricted travel within this bloc. There were over 26,000 international movements of thoroughbreds annually between these three nations alone. Now, movement between Great Britain and EU countries requires blood tests, the involvement of official vets for health certification, further health-check on entry, pre-notification of the movement, both outbound and return, Customs paperwork (four sets for a return trip) and the payment of value added tax. “The burden in terms of cost, time and hassle of moving a horse has risen starkly,” Khan illustrated.

“There are also welfare issues here,” he continued. “World Horse Welfare tell me that the requirements are impacting compliant traffic but not non-compliant traffic. We have heard of people choosing to send horses from France, destined for Britain by the long sea route to Ireland, then traveling up to Northern Ireland and finally across to mainland Britain, all in order to avoid all this. Clearly not in the horses’ welfare interests. And we know of delays of several hours at Border Control Posts (BCPs)  and of horses—most recently a nine-month-old foal, which was sent back to the UK on its own because of a technicality of the paperwork.”  

What is frustrating is that so much of this is unnecessary. Khan said, “Taking the health certification requirements first, they are not serving to solve any existing bio-security problem—there were no issues arising out of the movement of horses to and from the UK throughout the 50 years before Brexit. But putting that aside, the requirement to complete lengthy paperwork is unnecessary, given the existence of a digital alternative.

“And secondly, in respect of the VAT, the vast majority of racing and sport horse movements are return journeys—the horse travels to compete, or breed, and then returns. But even though VAT is not ultimately payable in the case of temporary movements, there is the need for connections of the horse to pay the VAT, or put up security against its value and then reclaim it. This is time consuming, not only for the connections of the horses but also for the revenue officials collecting the money who then have to spend time in repaying that money to the connections when the horse has gone home. Repayments are reportedly typically taking five months from some countries. This is a pointless waste of time and effort for horsemen and officials alike.”

What effect has all this had on movement numbers to and from Great Britain? “It’s very difficult, of course, to split the effect of COVID from that of Brexit; but what we can see very clearly is that, in combination, Brexit and COVID have had a downward impact on thoroughbred movements,” Khan reflected. 

“It is clear that racing movements, i.e. international runners, suffered badly in the first year of COVID, roughly halving from 2019, whether between Britain and the EU or the rest of the world. It is true that, since Brexit, rather than seeing a further deterioration, we have witnessed a recovery. Racing movements this year, despite Brexit, have been higher than in 2020—24% higher to and from the EU, and 59% higher to and from the rest of the world. But, while we must be optimistic that the worst effects of COVID are behind us, we cannot be so confident about Brexit. We just don’t know how owners’ and breeders’ behaviour will be modified in future years by the stark reality of their experience in this, ‘Year One’. Now that they know what the final bill added up to and how long it took for them to receive their VAT repayments, it is not unreasonable to surmise that they may choose not to repeat the exercise in the future.” 

Even given this year’s recovery, he noted that international runners between Britain and the EU have fallen by one-third against 2019 levels, and those with the rest of the world are down by 13%.

“This means that EU owners and trainers have had fewer opportunities to test their horses against those in Britain, and races on both sides of the water have been weakened, both in their appeal to the public and as international testing grounds.

“This could have a long-term damaging effect in an area where Europe leads the world. No fewer than 38 of the world’s top 100 races are run in Europe—more than Asia which has 23, Australasia 26 and the Americas 13. I mentioned the economic impact of European horse racing over €23bn per annum; much of this is linked to the quality of the races that are run here.” 

“Tracing a very different pattern have been non-racing movements (excluding Ireland), which were far more resilient to COVID than were racing movements but which have suffered post-Brexit in a way that racing movements have not. Movements for breeding and other purposes outnumber racing movements by around six to one. 

“Looking at movements between Britain and Continental EU—we don’t have these figures for Ireland because Britain and Ireland share a common Stud Book—we see they have more than halved, from 4,283 to 1,964. An indication of the ‘Brexit effect’ can be inferred from the fact that movements between Britain and the rest of the world only reduced by 13%, despite COVID.

“Non-racing movements to and from Ireland have held up remarkably well, being within 4% of 2019 levels. Overall, thoroughbred journeys between Britain and the EU are one-third down on two years ago.

“This isn’t just affecting racing. The European Equestrian Federation have told me that they have seen reduced numbers, both of British competitors at European events and Europeans travelling to Britain. And, taking the perspective of Ireland, we see a very similar picture. Non-racing movement of thoroughbreds between Ireland and the rest of the EU has fallen from 3,951 to 2,407—a 39% fall.

“Overall movements to and from Ireland would appear to be down by one-quarter—less, therefore, than the one-third fall to and from Britain. As in Britain, racing movements have shown a recovery this year, whereas non-racing movements, except those too and from Britain which have been static, have continued to fall.”

Animal Health Law was the next major issue to be examined in detail by Khan, although as he pointed out, the AHL has only applied since April; and member states are at different stages of their practical implementation. “In brief, it is too soon to gauge its impact on horse movement,” he warned. 

“The new requirements for the registration of operators and establishments, the registration of the place where a horse is habitually kept, the need to record all arrivals and departures, etc., will create additional work. And it could be argued that the problems these measures are being brought in to address are largely absent in the race and sport horse sectors; and they come at a time when the equine sector is already reeling from the impact of COVID.

“What I would say, however, cautiously, is that, from the soundings I have been making, my impression is that, at least in our sector, there are no widespread concerns over the impact of this new legislation per se on horse movements.”

He then moved on to the third piece of legislation, the Animal Transport Regulation. “Here, we’re concerned that some of the recommendations of the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry, ANIT, do not eventually become law.”

Subsequent to the Conference, ANIT produced its final report in early December, and Khan has provided us with an update on the current situation.

“We are pleased that a number of the points we and our sister organisations made appear to have been heeded. There was the threat of a blanket ban on transport of live horses to third countries, but this has gone, as has a requirement for a vet to be present at all loadings and unloadings. The fact that mares need to travel to visit stallions in order to conform with the global ban on artificial breeding methods in the thoroughbred world has also been acknowledged. It would seem, too, that the hard-won derogation from the journey limit of eight hours has been retained.

“What we need to concentrate on in the coming months, and make representations to the Commission as appropriate, includes the proposed ban on travelling horses outside of the range -5 degrees to +30 degrees, and ensuring that travel of horses by horsebox on roll-on/roll-off ferries is differentiated from travel by sea vessel. I’m sure our colleagues in the breeding world will also want to ensure that there is a derogation from any ban on travelling unweaned foals even if they are accompanied by their dams, and the proposed ban on animals travelling when in the last third of gestation.” 

Returning to the questions posed at the conference, Khan provided advice on how decision makers can support the industry. “Taking Brexit first, it is the unanimous view of all 26 EMHF member countries, that an easing of movement between the EU and the UK will benefit the whole of the European thoroughbred industry. We need to address avoidable areas of friction, which are only likely to worsen when the UK introduces its own BCPs to mirror those in EU countries. And I come back to the two things I mentioned earlier: unnecessary paperwork and unnecessary VAT payments. We’re hopeful that the newly formed Sanitary & Phytosanitary Committee can help here and we hope that there will be some expert input from the equine sector on that Committee.”

He also called for a commitment to embrace digital technology to replace the current antiquated paper-based systems. “The use of equine e-passports for equine identification is already providing welfare and health benefits through the eradication of tampered and fraudulent passports and improved traceability through real-time validation and audit trails. These digital passports, which have been built by both the sport horse and racehorse sectors—all Thoroughbreds in Ireland and Britain have them—comprise identity, vaccination and veterinary records, movement and ownership. We need governments to work with us to enhance this existing technology through interoperability with the systems of relevant government agencies: vets, Customs, revenue, etc. This will reduce cost, reduce time, reduce the risk of error and fraud. It will also cut down waiting times and workloads at Border Control. Vets at BCPs have many other, far more pressing tasks from which checking high health horses is currently just a distraction; and this can be stopped. 

“Of course, acceptance of e-passports from selected third countries will be necessary to address the Brexit issue, and current EU Law precludes this.

“More generally, we seek the introduction of a system which recognises that, where high health status of a horse population can be demonstrated, the regulatory burden imposed on the movements of such horses should be appropriately reduced. Such an evidence-led, risk-based approach— such as the High Health Breeding “HHB” concept, which the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders have advocated and is now being examined by the chief veterinary officers (CVOs) of Ireland, France, Germany and the Scandinavian countries, or the similar High Health Horse concept which the racing and sport horse sectors proposed to the Commission some four years ago—would make best use of stretched veterinary and administrative resources, [would] give much-needed respite to the equine sector and benefit horse welfare.

“We also call upon the revenue authorities in member states and the UK to adopt the flexibility, which it is within their gift to do, in agreeing sensible exemptions from the requirement to make payments in relation to value added tax in the case of temporary movements of horses. The racing industries in the most affected countries are all engaging with their respective revenue authorities on this question. Support from MEPs would be very valuable.

And on the Transport Regulation, we ask that our legitimate concerns are taken into account and that we avoid additional provisions in law which would unnecessarily seriously damage the equine sector further.”

Khan concluded on a positive note by pointing out, “I’d just like to underline that those in the racing and breeding community are passionate about their horses. We have long worked closely with World Horse Welfare and others, and we are fully behind their efforts and those of MEPs towards improving conditions for horses.”

MOVEMENT OF HORSES 2021 TABLES

OVERALL THOROUGHBRED MOVEMENTS

GB / IRE BREEDING MOVEMENTS INFERRED FROM COVERING STATISTICS

Showing totals as reported at end-November 2021

Click to view the tables:

OUTBOUND MOVEMENTS FROM GB
GB-TRAINED RUNNERS (RACE STARTS) IN EU/SWI & RoW

RACING MOVEMENTS - INBOUND MOVEMENTS TO GB

IRISH NON-RACING MOVEMENTS

NON-RACING MOVEMENTS - Excludes movements between Great Britain and Ireland

Scandanavian Horse Racing Breaks New Ground with Common Rules Book

By Dr. Paull Khan

A refrain that can be heard with relentless regularity across the racing world is the call for common rules of racing. I know of no one who does not hold to the view that it would indeed be a great improvement if—like golf, tennis or any number of other sports—racing had a harmonised global rules book. However, with one or two notable recent exceptions, advances towards this prize have been depressingly absent. Racing Authorities are, after all, sovereign in such affairs and, frequently, the attitude that ultimately prevails is “we are absolutely in favour of harmonisation—as long as we don’t have to change our rules.” 

It is, then, all the more heartening to be able to report on an initiative which has overcome such national pride and prejudice and successfully claimed this elusive prize. Since 1 June, the racing industries of Sweden, Norway and Denmark have been governed by a common set of rules encompassing registration and licencing, anti-doping, infection control, raceday equipment and guidelines for sanctions.  

Not that it has been a quick or easy fix. Discussions have been held since before the turn of the century on dovetailing such aspects of racing administration of the three countries. Five years ago, EMHF’s Honorary Life President Bjorn Eklund carried out an exercise to map the differences between the three rules books.

Then, in November 2020, the Swedish Horseracing Authority’s administrative manager, Helena Gartner, was asked to lead a push finally to get the concept over the line. Two representatives were nominated from each of the three countries, with Gartner as project manager. Weekly meetings were held throughout the first half of 2021, paving the way for the June launch.

In part, the recent acceleration of progress can be attributed to COVID as one of the pandemic’s few benefits. Nicolas Cordrey, Danish Jockey Club representative on the group, explains: “There is no doubt that COVID, and the need to use video conferencing on a daily basis, helped in getting the three countries together. It made the process much easier and quicker. We were also lucky to have Helena as project manager, who was always one step ahead.

“Although we are operating in a relatively small market,” explains Gartner, “there is a high degree of international traffic. In 2020, for example, a quarter of the horses that raced in Sweden were trained outside the country—the great majority of them from Denmark and Norway. The same jockeys are riding across Scandinavia. So it is important to have the same procedures and penalties.” 

Exact equivalence of all the Rules has not yet been achieved. Some remain distinct, most obviously Norway’s famous banning of the whip. Gartner again: “I have a list of rules which still differ. While Denmark and Norway use stalls tests; Sweden has qualifier races, for example. Norway has equipment that Sweden and Denmark would not allow: flexible blinkers and ear plugs that can be removed during the race (as are often used in trotting in Scandinavia). I would say that we either succeeded to harmonise quickly or we had to put it on the list, which we have to work with in the future. For Sweden and Denmark there will be more restrictive rules for the use of whip in 2022, which we are discussing at the moment. How close we get to the Norwegian rules is still to be decided.”

These loose ends aside, the experience has been undeniably positive. “Enhanced cooperation between the countries has benefited us all. We share experiences more frequently now and learn from each other. I hope that decisions made by the Stewards will become more and more homogeneous. Now we share members of Appeal Bodies among our countries. We also had a common education for Stewards led by (the British Horseracing Authority’s) Brant Dunshea and Cathy O´Meara in October, which was a big success. I also would like to add that all countries have agreed to let the Swedish Trotting Disciplinary committee decide about violations against the antidoping rules for horses.”

The secret to success down this pioneering route would appear to be compromise and pragmatism as well as acceptance that this is an iterative process, where the countries move closer towards full harmony over time. 

Have the changes been generally accepted by the stakeholders? “Yes, I would absolutely say so,” answers Gartner.

There is a bigger strategic prize that has been an impetus for the project. Establishing a joint Rules Book has been identified as a necessary precursor to technological convergence, with all the synergistic benefits this promises. Gartner again: “Common rules is the first step on our way towards a common Scandinavian database and IT system, and that work has also started!”

The Norwegian Jockey Club’s Liv Kristiansen, also an EMHF Executive Council member, has represented Norway on the project. She elaborates on its perceived advantages:

“As it works now, the three organisations do the same job three times, whether that be registering horses and their breeding, registering owners, licencing or recording race results.”

Cordrey concurs: “One common database, instead of three, will save a lot of administrative time between the three countries and will be much better for our owners, trainers and gamblers. Looking for information and statistics in one place and entering and declaring in one system will make life much easier for a lot of people living in or off racing.”

Kristiansen adds that the system will also address a long-standing inequity. Today, as generally around the world, if a rider incurs a penalty in one country and a second in another country, the first will not be taken into account in any ‘totting-up’ calculations. Top riders can, therefore, move from one jurisdiction to another, free from such concerns. “With our common rules, if a jockey gets fined or suspended for an offence in Norway one day, and then does the same in Sweden the following day, this would be considered a repeat offence.”

Such international cooperation makes sense on so many levels. Common rules are, in and of themselves, to the benefit of all participants and fans. In addition to which, looking beyond one’s own country to outsource certain administrative functions not only increases the talent pool, but also reduces the risks of conflicts of interest. And finally, merging IT systems reduces duplication of work and creates ongoing cost savings. 

Maybe this Scandinavian experiment will act as a beacon for other Racing Authorities to follow suit. 

Photo: Caption: Outgoing IFHA Chair Louis Romanet with EMHF Secretary-General Paull Khan.

BIG CHANGES ON THE WORLD STAGE

4 October 2021 marked the end of a remarkable era in global racing administration. Louis Romanet retired after 27 years as the first and only chair of our global body, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, thus ending a period of over a century during which the Romanet dynasty has been central to the sport’s development. It was Louis’ grandfather, René, who, as secretary-general of the Societe d’Encouragement (the then French racing authority), chose the name the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for a new prestige race, which made its debut in 1920 shortly after the conclusion of the First World War. Both Louis and his father, Jean, headed the Societe d’Encouragement, and it was Jean’s international outlook and vision that led to the creation of the IFHA. Brian Kavanagh, EMHF chair, has gone as far to say, “Without the Romanet family’s influence in racing, I don’t think racing would be the global sport that it is today.” 

Louis has been a towering figure in world racing for so long, and it was both a relief and a pleasure that we were able to wish him a bonne retraite in person.

Chairmanship of the IFHA passes to Asia, and to Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, who has been CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the past 15 years. (We in Europe, though, can of course claim Engelbrecht-Bresges as one of our own—having run Germany’s Direktorium for six years in the 1990s). There will be no loss of continuity or experience, however, since he steps up to the top post having been, for several years, one of the IFHA’s three vice-chairs.

This was but one of many changes at the IFHA, which followed both a strategic and a governance review. Perhaps the most far-reaching of these is the decision that the federation’s executives will run affairs from their respective bases around the world, in Lexington, Paris and Hong Kong. Just as COVID provided impetus to the Scandinavian rules project, so it seems to have contributed to the acceptance that organisations no longer need to have a single physical headquarters.

Paris will retain a special place within the workings of the IFHA. The 55-year tradition of holding the annual conference there, following the ‘Arc’, will continue. And European interests will continue to be well represented on the IFHA Executive Council, commanding four of the 11 votes. EMHF Chair Brian Kavanagh remains a vice-chair and is joined on the ‘ExCo’ by France Galop’s Olivier Delloye and new recruits Julie Harrington (CEO of the British Horseracing Authority) and Paull Khan, (EMHF secretary-general, representing the region’s ‘developing’ racing nations). Harrington will chair the Governance Committee, and Delloye the new Commercial and Marketing Committee. In addition, EMHF Executive Council member Henri Pouret will become a director of the new global Executive Office.

In terms of focus areas, it is noteworthy how issues of sustainability and climate change have moved centre stage. At this year’s IFHA Annual Conference, alongside the familiar themes of technological advances and horse welfare was a powerful piece from the Chair of Sport and Sustainability International on the challenges faced by racing and breeding in achieving net zero emission. This came hard on the heels of a talk at this year’s Horseracing Industry Conference in Britain whose strapline was 'Future-Proofing the Racing Industry: Protecting People and the Planet’ and featured an address by the CEO of the British Association for Sustainable Sport. 

In his address to the virtual IFHA Conference, Engelbrecht-Bresges stated, “The time has now come for racing to fully commit to addressing the challenge of climate change” and announced the creation of a new IFHA Committee on sustainability, bolstered by external experts. He expressed confidence that racing could play a leading role among sports on this issue, just as it has in the areas of commercial development and integrity. It seems clear that, from now on and increasingly, the agendas of racing’s leaders will be tinged green.

On the EMHF front, 2020 was, sadly, another year without an in-person meeting. We fervently hope we will be able to meet up for next year’s General Assembly in Warsaw in May 2022. 

This year we welcomed our first two associate members: Romania and Lebanon. The Romanian Jockey Club has hopes of restoring racing in Romania to its former glories. Lebanon no longer stages thoroughbred racing but is hopeful that this can be resurrected in future. Lebanon has moved from a full member to an associate member. Regrettably, we have seen the demise of racing in Lithuania, which is no longer an EMHF member.

On our EMHF Executive Council, Will Lambe has left the BHA and replaced as the vice-chair representing non EU European countries by Julie Harrington. Spain’s Paulino Ojanguren Saez was also elected to the ‘ExCo’ in a four-way contest for the space created by the retirement of Turkey’s Behcet Homurlu.  

Doping control in European racing the role played by the EHSLC

By Dr Paull Khan

AN Q&A INTERVIEW WITH HENRI POURET,

CHAIR OF THE EUROPEAN HORSERACING SCIENTIFIC LIAISON COMMITTEE

In this issue, we continue our series of Question and Answer sessions with the chairs of international committees in the European and Mediterranean regions. We began (Issue 72) with the subject of classifying the major, Black Type races across Europe, with our interview with the chair of the European Pattern Committee, Brian Kavanagh. Here, we move on to the subject of doping control, which is the remit of the European Horserace Scientific Liaison Committee. Its chair, Henri Pouret, answers your questions. 

The EHSLC lists these amongst its Terms of Reference: 

• With the aim of achieving uniformity of approach, to provide advice to the Racing Authorities of the member countries on policy, scientific and procedural matters concerning the Rules of Racing as they relate to prohibited substances.

• To recommend alterations to the Rules of Racing as they relate to prohibited substances.

• To recommend common policies and procedures where appropriate in the areas of sample collection, sample testing (including confirmatory analysis) and prohibited substances, and to monitor compliance by the member countries with these policies and procedures.

• To agree whether specified drugs fall within the List of Prohibited Substances.

• To recommend the need, where appropriate, for new or varied threshold  levels, for inclusion in the Rules of Racing.

• To promote liaison and discussion between the official racing laboratories and the official racing veterinary surgeons of the member countries.

• To promote inter-laboratory drug testing programmes, and to monitor the results vis-à-vis the official racing laboratories of the member countries.

• To agree with research priorities and to promote joint approaches, where appropriate, for their achievement.

• To publish detection periods, agreed jointly between the official racing laboratories and other interested parties in the member countries for therapeutic drugs commonly used in the horse.

• To exchange drug intelligence and other relevant information between the member countries.

Pouret, who has a background in law, is the Deputy CEO of France Galop, in charge of racing and also represents France on the International Federation of Horseracing Authority’s (IFHA’s) Harmonisation of Racing Rules Committee.

Q: Let’s get some definitions out of the way first. One of the EHSLC’s Terms of Reference is ‘to recommend the need, where appropriate, for new or varied threshold  levels, for inclusion in the Rules of Racing’. What is the difference between a ‘threshold level’ and a ‘screening limit’?

‘Threshold level’ and ‘screening limits’ are two critical indicators for doping control determined in urine and/or plasma. 

A ‘threshold level’ is a numerical figure adopted by racing authorities for endogenous substances produced by horses and for some plants traditionally grazed and harvested to horses as feed. International thresholds are recommended by the IFHA’s Advisory Council on Equine Prohibited Substances and Practices and approved by the IFHA Executive Council. 

A ‘screening limit’ (SL) is also a numerical figure determined by experts for legitimate therapeutic substances. Some are harmonised internationally and some are harmonised regionally (e.g,. within EHSLC for Europe).

Both ‘threshold level’ and ‘screening limit’ are applied by racing laboratories as a reference for the reporting of positive findings.   

Q: On the IFHA website, there are lists published of ‘international screening limits’ and ‘residue limits’. How do these differ?…

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EMHF update - Could European Racing improve its techniques for courting students?

By Dr Paull Khan

Racing is not alone in its desire to encourage greater interest amongst the younger generations. For decades, we have bemoaned our ‘ageing demographic’ and, while there may be little evidence of anything more than an aged demographic (raising the suspicion that it was ever thus), we, like so many others, are constantly seeking the key to attracting youth to our sport in all capacities: punters, racegoers, careerists.

For advice on this, who better to turn to, we reasoned, than to students themselves? Enter the European Student Horseracing Federation (ESHF)—a fledgling organisation whose members are University Racing Societies. Founding Chairman Robert Dargan explains: ‘The ESHF was established in May 2020 when I was elected chairman of Trinity College Horse Racing Society. It was founded to help racing societies to promote their presence and activities in their respective Universities. As I was fearful they may not survive the effects of COVID—given the fact that their normal events—visiting breeding operations, training facilities and going to the races could no longer take place due to restrictions. I thought it was very important to keep the societies active, to help promote the sport of horse racing to students, who are the next generation of supporters, participants and owners. I also wanted to have a central place for student horse racing enthusiasts to share their passion with other like-minded students from other universities and countries. I felt such an organisation did not exist for these purposes.’

Together, we began the search for a Fellowship Observer—a competitive process open to ESHF members where the winner would win an expenses-paid trip to Warsaw, and where, COVID permitting, we will hold the EMHF’s General Assembly in October, alongside racing at Poland’s premier racetrack, Sluzewiec.

Students were invited to distil into 500 words their thoughts on what European racing administrators might best do to encourage youth participation.

Entries were received from racing and equestrian societies of Universities across Ireland and Britain, including Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University College Cork, University of Cambridge and University of Nottingham.

The top three entries - click on link to read:

Ciara Dineen - Winning Entry

Adrian Binder - Highly Commended

Kate Madden - Highly Commended

EMHF Fellowship Observer Competition winner Ciara Dineen.

Ciara Dineen, a first-year equine business student at Maynooth University, emerged as the winner. Ciara hails from a racing background—her father was both a jockey and trainer in his day, and she now dovetails her studies with working at John Joseph Murphy’s yard in Cork. Like several of the competition entrants, she feels that more could usefully be done to organise and foster the direct involvement of students in various aspects of the sport. From the organisation of student ownership syndicates to an enhancement of the ‘student raceday’ concept, which would see the addition of stable visits in the days leading up to the race, allowing the students ‘up close and personal’ access to one or two of the runners on the day—whom they can then cheer on, come the raceday, bonded by their newfound acquaintanceship.

The student ownership syndicate is not an entirely new idea. There are two variants: syndicates for alumni of schools or colleges and those for current members of college Racing Societies. Pierce Dargan, brother to Robert, and better known as CEO of Equine Medirecord, has been a trailblazer in this area. Pierce founded the Blackrock Racing Syndicate, made up of alumni of Blackrock College, a well-known school in Ireland, at the end of 2018. The syndicate got off to a dream start, with its first horse, Arthurian Fame, winning at the first time of asking. Exultant Blackrock members, decked out in the school’s blue and white colours, memorably hoisted trainer Joseph O'Brien aloft and into the winner’s enclosure.

The success didn't stop there, with the syndicate going on to win the Microsoft Cup at Leopardstown, where the power of the concept could really be seen. Over 200 alumni of Blackrock turned up to see the ‘the Fame’ win at the local track for the school, which is less than a 20-minute drive away. Even though most were not directly involved, Pierce describes how having the syndicate being part of an already existing identity really helped drive interest, not only to join the syndicate but also to grab the attention of the wider past and present pupils of the school and its extended community.

‘I think syndicators work very hard to establish a unique identity for their racing club or syndicate to help draw interest from potential members. This can be quite difficult, but when you are able to use the name and sports colours of the university or school, it really makes that draw for potential members much easier, as they are already part of that community. Also, educational institutions are always very anxious to engage and build strong ties with past students, and a syndicate or racing club is a perfect way to do that. I know personally it has helped me stay connected with friends to whom I had not spoken since leaving school; and it was the perfect reason to meet and share a great day out with them. And when the horses are doing well, it brings excitement not only to the members but the whole community, as shown by the number of people who came to watch Arthurian Fame run at Leopardstown. I also think it is the perfect way to build a path for young enthusiasts to become new owners in the sport.

‘Our generation want to be involved. We’re not content to be spectators any more.’ …

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European Pattern Committee - regulating 'black type' races

By Dr. Paull Khan

THE EUROPEAN PATTERN COMMITTEE: CHAIR BRIAN KAVANAGH ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS

In this issue, we begin a series of articles in which we look at some of the EMHF region’s committees. We start with the European Pattern Committee, which controls the classification of black type races in Europe, monitoring the quality of the fields and agreeing when races should be upgraded or downgraded. In future issues, we will look at two further committees, which deal, respectively, with dope testing and the health and welfare of jockeys. In each, we will pose questions, from trainers, to the relevant committee chair.

The European Pattern Committee (EPC) members are France, Germany, Great Britain and Ireland. The ‘Part 1 countries’ within the International Cataloguing Standards book, often known as the ‘Blue Book’, which lists the world’s black type races. The contents of the Blue Book can be viewed online at https://www.tjcis.com/otherServicesDisplay.asp?section=5.

Any other European country that stages a Group race published in Part I of the Blue Book may become an Associate Member of the EPC. Currently, these are Italy, Scandinavia (covering Denmark, Norway and Sweden) and Turkey.

The EPC’s chair is Brian Kavanagh, who is also chair of EMHF. Brian is CEO of Horse Racing Ireland. We asked board members of the European Trainers’ Federation for questions to put to Brian and here are the results.

Q: Why do we not have both black type and the horse’s best achieved rating in catalogues? This would clearly indicate the quality of the horse and the information would be a huge plus.

BK: This question comes up from time to time and is essentially one for the Sales Companies. The European Pattern Committee would have no difficulty with ratings being shown in a sales catalogue, however, it is not a straightforward issue. By their nature, ratings are a subjective, albeit expert, opinion and can change significantly, upwards or downwards, over a horse’s racing career and the distance over which they race. A horse’s peak rating cannot tell the full picture and, in some cases, could be confusing.

Q: The EPC should put pressure on the countries that pay prize money very late and take away their status. (One of my colleagues has not received funds from a race three years ago from Italy; this should not happen.)

BK: We have done this, and the EPC has put considerable pressure on Italy to get its house in order with the result that payment turnaround times have improved, although they need to be improved further. In general, owners and trainers will ‘vote with their feet’ and be reluctant to participate in races where there is a doubt over payment being received. As the better horses stay away from races, the rating of those races inevitably suffers.

Q: Should there be a 'minimum' value for inclusion in the pattern, just as there is in the US? Germany seems to run a ton of cheap Listed races!

BK: This is an interesting question and not one that the Committee has formally discussed. We assess the quality of races based on their three-year average ratings rather than their prize money levels and, up to now, have taken the view that it is up to each member country to determine its prize money levels.

Q: Closing dates for races are a big bugbear amongst trainers—the fact that some races close so early and some don't.

BK: Again, this is not something within the control of the EPC but is rather a decision for each individual country. We know that this is frustrating in relation to the Irish Classics, for example, and as a result, we in Ireland have been progressively moving the entry dates for our Classics to later in the year.

Q: I know that I, and many of my colleagues, often say that the Pattern lacks a ‘narrative’. It's meant to be a European Pattern but everything is very country-orientated. Is there a way to make the race series flow better?

BK: I think good progress has been made on this issue with the creation of Longines Irish Champions Weekend, the expanded Arc weekend programme and British Champions Day, which provide a clear end-of-season narrative with three major championship events in the three leading European countries. Gp1 races are very well coordinated at the European level and attract international fields. I have sensed a more ‘European’ approach to various issues amongst the Committee in recent years.

Q: Why aren’t Listed, Gp3 and Gp2 races prefixed with a country code, e.g., ‘GB L’ or ‘FR L’? This would make Gp1 races stand out more as being European 'championship' races.

BK: This is a new suggestion to me and I would not favour it, as it would imply a lesser domestic status in certain countries, whereas races are measured to the same criteria across Europe. As I said above, Gp1 races already stand out at the major championship events.

Q: Why can there not be a common set of rules for all of the European Pattern? That way, everyone would know where they stand when they run.

BK: This issue strays beyond the remit of the EPC. However, it is a sensible suggestion and I believe things are moving in the right direction. Ultimately, every country controls its own Rules of Racing, but there has been a lot of harmonisation in recent times in relation to major rules such as interference and prohibited substances while we are moving towards a greater consistency among the major European countries in relation to use of the whip. As regards to the areas in the EPC’s purview, we operate to a common weight-for-age scale and fillies’ allowance system.

Q: What about the introduction of a points-based system for Gp1 races? This would open up multiple opportunities for additional revenue for sponsorship and betting.

BK: This has been looked at previously but did not find favour as the factors which influence running behaviours are generally prize money levels, prestige and history of the race. Various Championship and Horse of the Year awards are made at the end of each year and attract positive media coverage and sponsorship. In the UK there is a British Champions Series, which is a points-based system. However, I believe that the prestige and increased value of winning a major Gp1 race will always be the primary ambition and motivation.

Q: How does the EPC deal with pressure from racecourses to have races upgraded?

BK: Naturally, racecourses will seek to have their races upgraded, and this is a good thing. However, the duty of the Pattern Committee is to ensure that any changes are for the greater good rather than just to the benefit of a racecourse or a sponsor. There are strict limitations on the number of races which can be promoted each year, which has meant that EPC member countries have to focus on those changes that will have the most beneficial impact.

Q: The staying division seems to have more downgrades than upgrades. Why is this?

BK: That may have been so up to recent years, but in recent years the EPC has specifically focussed on the staying race programme, including those for three-year-olds and fillies only. A number of races were upgraded—including the Goodwood Cup and the Prix du Royallieu, both of which moved to Gp1—while there has been a five-year moratorium on downgrades in the same division as it is a long-term project aimed to alter breeders’ and owners’ behaviours and will therefore take time.

Q: I would be interested to know more about how the jumps pattern works—from talking to different Clerks of the Course, it seems that it's up to the individual country’s authority to have a race graded. Surely, there should be similar principles in place as per their flat counterparts?

BK: The jumps pattern is a matter for individual countries, although Britain and Ireland operate with virtually identical ground rules and rating parameters.

Q: My question concerns the European Pattern Book. Could there be more of an online format for all trainers across Europe to access?

BK: Moving online is certainly worthy of consideration, though many trainers I speak to would prefer the hard copy as well.

Behcet Homurlu, outgoing vice-chair.

EMHF WELCOMES NEW VICE-CHAIR

Like so many the world over in this annus horribilis, the EMHF has been forced to abandon all face-to-face meetings. Plans to stage our General Assembly in Warsaw, originally in May, were kept alive for a while, with hopes that an October alternative date might prove possible. …

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News from the EMHF - It is time to celebrate - The European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation is 10 years old

By Dr. Paull Khan

The European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation is 10 years old. A mere stripling when compared to its counterpart regional federations in other parts of the globe, the Asian Racing Federation (ARF, formed in 1960) and Latin America’s yet more venerable OSAF (Organizacion Sudamericana de Fomento del Sangre Pura De Carrera – established 1958). So what has been the story of our first decade?

Who better to turn to first than the ‘Father of the EMHF’, Bjorn Eklund, ex-CEO of the Swedish Jockey Club? “I think I got my thoughts about the need of European racing integration and cooperation when I visited my first International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) conferences in the late eighties. I say 'visited' and that is what it really was, from my point of view. They were grand meetings and offered a lot of hospitality but not much by way of discussion or democratic interaction. Everything seemed to have been discussed and decided in advance by the big racing nations. I asked some representatives from the minor racing countries if it was always like this. The answer was 'yes', and they were not too happy about it.

“So, together with my friend Harald Dörum from Norway, I invited some of the minor European racing nations to a meeting in Stockholm in 2000. The result of the meeting was an informal organisation called the European Racing Development Conference (ERDC). It was mostly a network organisation which met once a year. After a few years, we were able to arrange the meeting during the ‘Arc weekend’ in Paris, which increased the interest and more and more organisations took part. As chairman of ERDC I was invited twice to speak at the IFHA meeting by invitation of its chairman, Louis Romanet. And he was the first to suggest an integration into IFHA by setting up a European (and Mediterranean) organisation for both the big racing countries and the minor ones.”

Paull Khan, Behcet Homurlu, Bjorn Eklund, Dominique de Wenden, Brian Kavanagh and Zsolt Hegedus.

And so it was that representatives of 18 countries—Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Morocco, Norway, Poland,  Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey—gathered in Stockholm on June 1st 2010, and resolved to found the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation. Italy, a notable absentee, hosted the second meeting, three months later, and was included amongst the 19 founder members listed in the federation’s by-laws. Brian Kavanagh, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland and a vice-chair of the IFHA, was chosen as chairman, a position he still holds today. 

Areas of focus suggested by those attending that inaugural meeting, as revealed by its minutes, included several which have become key themes for the federation: information exchange; tutorship, including in practical aspects of racing administration; and advocacy within the European Union amongst them. Zsolt Hegedus, representing Hungary, argued that it was extremely important for the major European racing nations to visit the developing ones to assess and assist them.

Within the first couple of years, during which time the Czech Republic and Lebanon came on board, the need for a more formalised secretariat became apparent and, in 2012, I was delighted to be approached and commissioned to give one day per week of my time to become its secretary-general—an arrangement that applies to this day.

Over the past eight years, we have sought to maximise the value derived by the members and to raise the profile of the federation, both within the racing and wider equine sector and in European political circles. 

‘EMHF Chair, Brian Kavanagh and Secretary-General, Paull Khan dwarfed by the feared Pardubice fence at the 2018 Executive Council trip.’

Two formal meetings are held annually—an Executive Council meeting involving nine member countries, in addition to the General Assembly—and we have been determined to fulfil Hegedus’s wishes by holding these meetings over as wide a spread of countries as possible. In this way, our members have been able to experience the wondrous breadth of horseracing in our region. From the quirky Grand Steeplechase de Flanders at Belgium’s Waregem, to the swashbuckling ‘White Turf’ meeting on St Moritz’s frozen lake; from the urban oasis that is the racecourse in Casablanca, to the beauteous setting of Jersey’s elevated Les Landes racetrack. Small wonder that the EMHF membership is as one in recognising that the racing product and experience offered by each of its countries is unique and to be treasured and protected. 

All EMHF members pay the same membership fee (currently €1,750pa). But those with the largest racing industries contribute in kind by hosting and delivering seminars on aspects of racing administration. This educational element of the federation’s work is among its most important. Topics have included farriery, handicapping, licencing, doping control, racetrack management, marketing and many more. Memorably, in 2016, Mark Johnston delivered a Trainer Masterclass to a rapt audience who had travelled from far and wide to Bratislava to hear him discuss the intricacies of purchasing and selling bloodstock, sourcing owners, recruiting and retaining staff, media relations, planning horses’ campaigns and many other aspects of the trainer’s job and art.

How do the ‘smaller’ racing nations view these efforts? Omar Skalli is CEO of Morocco’s racing authority; SOREC and has been a vice-chair of EMHF since its inception. “Since the very beginning,” he explains, “the aim of the founders (I was one of them) was to put EMHF, unlike equivalent structures, on these three strategic axes:

- Sharing practical experiences on structural themes for racing authorities

- Active participation of all members in defining topics of common interest

- A desire to develop the entire racing ecosystem

“Morocco has fully benefited and learned from this sharing to develop its own racing ecosystem, and I am proud to see that the EMHF is faithful today to these objectives and in line with what I had hoped and expected back in 2010.”

Several developing racing nations have elected to join the EMHF in recent years, including Azerbaijan, Channel Islands, Greece, Libya, the Netherlands and Portugal. …

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