OVER the last number of months I have gained a keen interest in two sports which I never gave much thought to before: basketball and Formula 1 racing. Netflix has not only provided me with endless hours of entertainment during this pandemic, it has also given me a deeper appreciation for professional athletes. As I sat and watched The Last Dance, which showcases the life of basketball legend Michael Jordan, I couldn’t help but think how impactful a similar documentary series featuring the legends of horse racing would be.

Challenging

Having grown up in Dublin with no previous background in horses, I am aware that racing can be a challenging sport to follow. If you aren’t familiar with the sport it can be difficult to understand the language and terms associated with it. This causes simple things like reading a racecard and studying a horse’s form to be complicated. When people mention team sports, rugby, GAA and soccer are often first to spring to mind.

How can we educate and inform the public that racing is one of the greatest team sports out there? It combines the talent and fearless attitude of a jockey, with the speed and strength of a thoroughbred horse, whose trainer has perfectly orchestrated their every move.

Over the last few months a number of people have taken the initiative to share their knowledge and educate people about our sport using their personal networks and social media platforms. Second-year Godolphin Flying Start trainee Annise Montplaisir and graduate of the course Madison Scott have created an initiative called Amplify. Their goal is to make racing an attractive career choice for young people by informing them about the different ways to get involved in the industry and the numerous career paths they can choose from.

Jack Cantillon’s weekly webinar series, The Art of the Mating, has educated over 20,000 participants from 109 countries on numerous topics including pinhooking, managing stallions, buying horses in training, matings and the breeze-up sales.

One thing this pandemic has taught me is that horse people love to share their knowledge. They love to educate people and they love to share their passion for horses with others.

Lockdown learning

My lockdown learning experience has continued into the month of June where I have been lucky enough to spend time at Jessica Harrington’s yard on an externship. Since the resumption of racing in Ireland, the team at Commonstown Stables have been in flying form and it is evident that Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley’s partnership looks to be getting better with time. Their patience, dedication and work ethic throughout the lockdown has already been rewarded on numerous occasions and I am sure they will continue to set the racecourses alight for the remainder of the season.

Racing team

The team in racing goes beyond the jockey, horse and trainer. The team includes the track riders, stable hands, yard managers, office staff, truck drivers, farriers, vets and, of course, the owners. The role each person plays is vital for ensuring the yard’s continued success.

Horse racing is not just a sport, it’s a lifestyle and that is our competitive advantage. Our sport is steeped in history and hardship and now is the time to tell our story. Now is the time to convert people into racing fans by continuing to educate them about this heart-stopping, adrenaline-pumping sport.

See godolphinflyingstart.com for more information on the programme.