Ayr Hair Lair

The finale of the How Many Horses Can An Irishman Run At One Meeting competition

I am obliged under the Marriage (Protection of Testicles) Act 1989 to point out that Madame and a massive team of volunteers, under the guidance of Capt. Mark Smyly, are running the Peter O’Sullevan Lambourn Open Day on Friday 18th April. There will be over 20 trainer’s yards open in the morning to visit. Then down to the main field — clearly signposted — for an afternoon full of displays, sideshows, shops, events, races, demonstrations, and famous racing faces making fools of themselves all to help the Air Ambulance and Lambourn Housing Trust. I shall be found in the tent of Madame Zou Zou, slumped in a corner having over-refreshed on my early morning rounds, trying to take a small sherbet from every trainer, before midday. I managed 14 one year. Please do not disturb me!

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Some time ago, I mentioned the growing workload of Scott Dixon, trainer to the (I assume he does have some) gentry and ARC in various guises. You can find that article HERE, but to save you looking it up, here is what I wrote:

ARC (Arena Racing), the largest UK racecourse operator, appears to have a long-term business model that sees racecourses, racehorses, media rights, and betting entirely under a single ownership and management. Do you think me mad? Racecourses owning their racehorses? This is unlike ARC and their trainer, Scott Dixon, and their Racing Club, which has 8-12 horses free to join for annual members. On the subject of seeding, might it be possible that some races could be “seeded” with racecourse-owned additional horses in order to provide the maximum Levy return with regard to the minimum number of runners in a race? Maybe even to win their own prize money?

Glancing through the bulldogs, I notice that Brighton (owned by ARC) has been financially blessed to have their last race on Saturday, the Streamline 202020 Always Leading The Race Handicap divided into two thanks to a glut of entries. Four of those entries emanate from Amphitheatre Racing Ltd, which owns eight horses with Scott. ARL (to save me typing) has the same address as ARC, and shares Mark Spincer as a director, which is good news for everyone. Scott has also run Southwell Racing Club and the Arc Racing Syndicate.

It seems wrong to me: perhaps it’s a conflict of interest, perhaps if the rules are there then all is fair, perhaps, perhaps, perhaps…

Talking of bad smells and decisions that leave a sinking feeling and a sense of unease, here are the tips for the Willie Mullins Testimonial Raceday… (Last weekend I need hardly remind you we had the winner of the National, a 40/1 winner in Meydan and made profits everywhere… just saying)