MEDIOCRITY RULES!
Have a look at the vast majority of All Weather cards (and some of the fifth and sixth ranked turf cards)and tell me the BHA isn't pandering to mediocrity. I do not want to decry the connections of the horses because it is the breeders who are the problem. They have urgently to be put under some sort of control. It's no use breeders saying they could one day discover a gem among the offspring of moderate horses. In reality that is as rare as winning the lottery. So if people want to own a horse (or breed a pearl among swine), I suggest they do the lottery and buy a horse with their winnings.
Far too many horses are being bred and far too many in racing are offering the public false hopes when searching for syndicate members. A few syndicates are very good. But most are embarrassing for the sport. Conversely, there are so many horses being bred, it can be seen as a blessing that they are in racing instead of in a field waiting to be sold to the highest unscrupulous bidder.
Unfortunately, even by Weatherbys own research, a large number of ex-racehorses cannot be found nor their fate determined. You have to wonder what happened to them. You also have to fear for the ultimate fate of most of the moderate to mediocre racehorses running tomorrow. The only way to allay such fears for future generations of racehorses is to heavily (and I mean heavily) surcharge breeders who want to breed horses to race. That way fewer horses will be bred and fewer horses will have uncertain futures after racing.
Obviously, even the best breeding can produce a selling plate winner. But the real point is the welfare of horses. So many are being bred that welfare is solely reserved for those whose owners have sufficient funds. They have a love of horses and horse racing and not a love of gambling. If you think that is a harsh and unjustified criticism of the not so well off owners and syndicates, then why have certain trainers (one recently) been prosecuted for maltreating their horses - usually the moderate and mediocre ones. Unfortunately, the end result of the rise of syndication is the overpopulation of the racehorse world and thus the rise in mediocrity
The enticement of owning a horse plus the attraction of receiving inside information is enough for many. But all they are doing is perpetuating the myth that you can win with little effort - so long as you "know" the right people. What potential syndicate members know, but seem to forget in the excitement of being involved with a horse, is that most gambles fail. Even the best laid ones from the stable (or those "in the know").
I love gambling. I also love horses. I am very aware of the risks horses and jockeys run to provide me with entertainment. But that is not the issue. Racehorse welfare is. And while breeders continually over-populate the sport with mediocrity, moderate racehorse's will always face a dangerous future.
Rant over.
