Racing's workforce is stretched to breaking point: here's how we ease the strain

I've largely spent the past couple of weeks speaking to stable staff and trainers about life at racing's coalface for an investigation into the sport's staffing problems that will be published in the Racing Post shortly.

The idea stemmed from the publication of the 2022 fixture list last month, which caused its annual stir among the many factions of the industry. Most vocal in his criticism was George McGrath, chief executive of the National Association of Racing Staff (Nars), who described the year-on-year increase in weekend fixtures as a "slap in the face" for his members who already make significant sacrifices to keep the show on the road.

Hearing just how stretched the staff in some yards have become has certainly been an eye-opening experience, although it has also been heartening to hear how some forward-thinking trainers are doing their best to offer their employees the working patterns that work best for them.