There's more than just racing's soul at stake if we remove cash from racecourses

Racing has remained little disturbed by the passage of time. While this is often used as a stick with which to beat the sport, I would like to offer a defence of one of its 'retro' characteristics which I feel is part of its timelessness: cash.

I am part of a cashless generation and never use actual money, except at the races. My phone houses all things financial; I don't even carry a credit card. Being able to pay for things with the tap of a mobile phone allows spending to be carried out with ridiculous ease. Without a second thought, I tap and move on with my day. Trying to reconcile how such an insignificant act can result in your bank balance changing is actually quite difficult.

But at the racecourse cash reigns supreme. Until the summer of 2021 I had never been racing; I had never experienced placing my bet in cash with an on-course bookmaker. At first I was a little bamboozled by the fluctuating figures on the screens behind. The different umbrellas felt like playful set-dressing: a Degas painting brought to life.