The first National Racehorse Week in Britain will take place from September 12-19. Training yards across the country will open their gates, beginning with the Epsom and Malton (Yorkshire) open days on the first weekend, and concluding with the Middleham (also Yorkshire) and Henry Cecil open days in Newmarket on the last. In between there will be events, activities, charity presentations, cake, and a chance for everyone to get involved.
It will be a “celebration of the racehorse”, and a chance to “get across to everyone what a great life a racehorse leads and what care and dedication we give them”, according to Cheltenham Festival-winning jumps trainer Richard Phillips, who originally came up with the idea for a National Racehorse Day in 2019. His logic was “there’s a day for everything else, why not for the racehorse?”.
Why not a week? the British Horseracing Authority responded when it enthusiastically took up the idea.
Phillips had been urged by a close veterinary friend to put aside his lifelong aversion to meetings (“I think the ‘c’ word is committee”), and get involved in getting the word out, with the National Trainers Federation, that racehorses are exceptionally well cared for.
Just as the welfare of the horses is paramount, so is ensuring that people know how good it is. Racing has been in Phillips’ bones since he was a small boy in Epsom watching with thrilled delight as the horses were loaded into the stalls for racedays. He started his career by literally knocking on doors in Lambourn (the first one was Fred Winter, who was out, but his then assistant, Oliver Sherwood, took a message, the second was Fulke Walwyn), and his career spans more than 30 years. He’s a staunch advocate for racing, and he’s good at getting things. done.
The friend warned him that, if he didn’t pitch in, the very future of racing, and specifically jump racing, could be in doubt. So dramatic! And yet … earlier this year, a YouGov poll revealed 47 percent of those polled had a negative opinion of horseracing, 27 percent were neutral and just 23 percent had a positive opinion.
In 2018, Parliament debated and rejected calls for an independent welfare body to protect racehorses after an animal rights group petition gathered over 100,000 signatures.
In Australia, jump racing is banned in all but one state. In 2019 Taylor Swift pulled out of performing at the Melbourne Cup (apparently due to a ‘scheduling conflict’ but there was a large and loud protest about her involvement from animal rights activists too).
Clearly there is work to do to change the perception of the sport in some quarters.
Phillips is keen for everyone - the pro and the anti and the undecided - to attend National Racehorse Week. Particularly the latter two groups. He says, “They know cruelty when they see it, and they’ll see happy horses who love people.” He’s looking forward to answering all questions, such as: Why do you whip horses? Why are they cooped up in stables? How do you know they enjoy racing?
Those visiting his welcoming and immaculate yard in the beautiful village of Adlestrop in England’s Cotswold Hills, may also be invited to take ‘the mirror test’. This involves looking at one’s reflection while answering his questions: Do you have a balanced diet? An exercise programme? Private health? Do you belong to a spa? Do you have social care 24 hours a day? Racehorses have all of those things.
He is aware that the public may think “obviously we look after them, we want them to win races”, but horses’ lives are measured in decades, racehorses are versatile and athletic. There’s not much they can’t do, so there will also be a focus on what happens when they retire, and the charities that take responsibility for their second act.
What would he like people to come away from this with? “Realising racehorses have a rather good life” he says. The only problem so far? “A week isn’t long enough to show what we do!”
The week is organised by British Horseracing Authority with the support of the National Trainers Federation, the Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust, the Racing Foundation and Great British Racing.
Register your interest at nationalracehorseweek.uk