Bringing diversity to racing makes sense on every level

I may struggle to look at another pint of Guinness for a while but that is the price I will happily pay following a brilliant trip to Galway last week.

I was on a mini holiday on Ireland's beautiful west coast rather than working and was thoroughly impressed by everything the city and racecourse had to offer.

I would highly recommend it, the atmosphere beams across the place and the town thrives off it. In fact, it reminds me very much of a certain festival in my home town of Cheltenham.

What impressed me most was how the track was managed. Too often I've queued for a substandard drink or food at a ridiculous price, but at Galway it was competitively priced and finding queues was as difficult (for me) as picking winners. High praise is rare for me, but it is deserved following an exemplary meeting.

It was, however, an event at Goodwood which really moved me. Ashleigh Wicheard, who travels horses for Neil Mulholland's stable, took the knee before riding in the Markel Magnolia Cup in what I hope and believe was a landmark moment for diversity in the sport.

That she then won the prestigious charity race, staged before Thursday's card, added momentum to a message which was met with mixed responses on social media.

I followed the events online and felt abject reading some of the comments. That is the nature of social media of course but it is a shame a great moment was blighted. There is good reason to take the knee at any sporting event and that applies to horseracing, in which diversity remains a significant issue.

Taking the knee is about so much more than the initial protest against the murder of George Floyd; it is about pride, unity and standing up against racism and discrimination. People, in particular younger ones, take inspiration from sports stars. They are role models, as is Wicheard.

The Magnolia Cup riders - including Ashleigh Wicheard - take the knee before the raceCredit: Focus On Racing

Racing has not led the way in taking the knee but I hope this sparks a conversation to ensure we can look to create a sport to be proud of which celebrates all of society and which everyone can enjoy and feel accepted. That’s not too much to ask, surely.

The majority of the sport's participants and racegoers are white and as such it is unrepresentative of Britain in 2022. There is no reason racing cannot accurately represent society. Racing's leaders are aware of this and looking to actively widen racing's employment net in future.

Khadijah Mellah and Oli Bell's Riding A Dream Academy is an exciting initiative, as is the Racing Media Academy, and promise to ensure greater inclusion for future generations. At the top, the industry's steering group is tackling the issue head on.

Yes, progress is being made with a focus on the future but there is no reason why further improvements cannot be made, and racecourses could be crucial.

Attracting a more diverse audience is a challenge, particularly given courses face tremendous difficulties in getting spectators through the gate and runners on the track but this should not be ignored.

If done correctly, it holds great potential. Racecourses are often in proximity to major multicultural cities. In Leicester, which was named as Britain's most diverse city in 2021, the track is just three miles from the centre. For racing, that means there is a large percentage of the population on the doorstep of a racecourse who have no association with the sport. It is time to knock on their doors.

To focus on Leicester, in 2022 the racecourse has planned or already staged racedays targeted at families, students and veterans and also had a charity and ladies' day. Why not a multicultural day?

I would like to see courses nurturing community links and creating special racedays to celebrate diverse groups and to entice them to come racing. That could be with offers, music, events on track or food choices but it is about refining the product for people who do not consider racing as a potential day out. They need to be welcomed by racecourses and by the sport as a whole.

It surprises me too that there are no racecourse 'Pride' days for the LGBTQ+ community. That could draw in crowds if marketed well and there would be no better starting point than at Brighton, recognised as the country's gay capital. The track did have one such event in 2003 but a return two decades later would be welcomed.

A good experience on the racecourse for many people is the gateway to an interest in the sport and that could lead to any amount of future investment. Diversity is fantastic for the sport, it should not be understated.

Of course the best motivators for becoming involved in sport are those who compete. Take Rachael Blackmore. Last week in the paddock at Galway it was her name the punters were talking about and reaching for their smartphones to photograph.

The recent progress women riders have made in the sport in Britain and Ireland is something from which we should draw inspiration. It is evidence things can change.

Sunday's success for the Lionesses has stirred the conversation on women's sport but having Blackmore and Hollie Doyle at the pinnacle of our sport is something of which we can be proud, even if the base of the pyramid needs widening and male-female ratios evening up.

It is not all bad, but it could be so much better.

It's never too early for a festival punt

There is always that one person who talks about Cheltenham way too early but a horse took my eye at Galway last week and I will admit, somewhat shamefully, to having a small investment on the Willie Mullins-trained Champ Kiely at 20-1 for the Albert Bartlett.

In my defence, the winner of this 2m5f maiden hurdle in 2018 would not have served you too badly as the first past the post but disqualified City Island went on to win the Ballymore.

Champ Kiely travelled in the manner of a good horse and, while he was not the slickest hurdler, his future undoubtedly lies over fences. I loved the way he cruised past the field on the turn for home and kept on to win effortlessly. I watched the race from the rail and spotted Paul Townend with a giant grin on his face crossing the line. It was understandable.

Champ Kiely: Galway winner worth considering for the Albert BartlettCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

I am also confident this was a decent race. The distant second – 21 lengths to be precise – Esperti was strongly backed before the off and has some solid form, while third home Dawn Rising was last seen finishing second at Group 3 level on the Flat.

Champ Kiely should stay three miles and looks an Albert Bartlett type even at this early stage.

Lot Of Joy, also for the Mullins team, ran a respectable first race for the yard on her debut in the Connacht Hotel Handicap. She was short for room at a key part of the race and may have just needed the initial run but I would think she could prove better than a mark of 92.

She may struggle to get into the Ebor – in a bid to emulate half-brother Sonnyboyliston – but this filly will land a big pot one day.

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