National Racehorse Week was a triumph for the sport and provides plenty of grounds for optimism

Racing has definitely had worse weeks. The sensational action at the St Leger meeting and Irish Champions Festival coupled with the prime minister’s visit to Doncaster showcased the sport in the best possible light.

Away from the headlines made by Jan Brueghel, Economics and the priceless exposure of Sir Keir Starmer’s family day out on Town Moor, there were many other reasons to be positive as an army of racing participants put in some serious groundwork during National Racehorse Week.

It might have been in a more behind-the-scenes manner, but the way different sections of the industry pulled together to celebrate the racehorse and promote the levels of care provided to them was as important as anything that happened on the track.

There are not too many examples of racing putting on a united front, but last week was one of them. National Racehorse Week, an idea first proposed by trainer Richard Phillips in a Racing Post column back in 2019, has been a resounding success in the four years since its inception.

In addition to around 100 stables opening their doors to the public, there were more community visits than ever before. You have to admire the 'we'll bring racing to you' approach of organisers Great British Racing and that was evident in the launch event at Media City in Salford that I attended.

It was quite a sight seeing retired racehorse Chase The Wind striding out against a backdrop of tower blocks and high-rise offices. What was even more striking, though, was people's commitment and dedication to the cause.

West Yorkshire trainer Jo Foster was starting a relentless week during which she was hoping to engage with 3,500 people and jockey Faye McManoman left Malton at 5am to show off her riding skills on the Equicizer.

As we have seen in ITV's docuseries Champions: Full Gallop, with Harry Cobden and Nico de Boinville playing starring roles, jockeys have the potential to be a big draw.

It was great to see many other riders giving back to the sport by getting involved in the week, particularly those who went out into the community.

The racehorse is rightly front and centre, but jockeys also have the power to attract new audiences and any of the precious time they can give up is invaluable.

A high bar has been set but together racing can make the week bigger and better again in 2025.

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