Rebecca Cassidy (ed.) (2013) The Cambridge Companion To Horseracing. Cambridge University Press
The Cambridge Companion To Horseracing is a collection of short essays covering a diverse range of topics from art, to literature, to technology’s role in the future of the betting sector.
Reading the introduction I was initially concerned about the direction the essays would take. The introduction talks of ‘old histories, new histories’ and how existing racing literature presents racing as ‘irrelevant and parochial: a white, Anglophile, upper-class sport’. The editor states ‘isn’t it time to ditch old histories in favour of more exciting, accurate and inclusive alternatives?’
Always beware the ‘inclusive’ agenda.
Thankfully, the contributors choose largely to ignore the editor’s slant (or maybe they couldn’t meet the brief with the research at their disposal). The first chapter, for example, is entitled Sporting with Kings (Richard Nash) and describes the role that the English royalty and nobility had in the formative years of what would become thoroughbred racing in the 17th and 18th Century. Discussing the life of the Godolphin Arabian, one of the foundation stallions, the author believes the stallion may have been a diplomatic gift of the ambassador of the Emperor of Morocco and his ultimate owner was Lord Godolphin in 1733.
A later essay, Racing in Asia (Mark Godfrey), focuses on Dr Harry Sweeney, an Irish trainer who has established a very successful training operation in Japan. In discussing the potential for racing in China, Sweeney believes ‘wealthy Chinese will embrace the sport’. Why? Because ‘racing is the ultimate status symbol, get [sic] you up close with royalty like Queen Elizabeth, or the Aga Khan, or Sheikh Mohammed’.
The newly rich in Asia are drawn to horseracing precisely because of its links to the upper-classes and British royalty. Indeed, the roots of horse racing across much of Asia (Hong Kong, Singapore, China (Shanghai), Malaysia), like it or not, lie in the British colonial era when the English upper-classes transported their racing interests overseas. Several of the jockey and turf clubs they established exist to this day.
Racehorse ownership is an expensive business. By nature, it will always be the preserve of the wealthy, which in previous centuries often meant the nobility. In the modern age the newly wealthy see ownership and involvement in racing as a status symbol and if the new millionaires are coming from Asia why not play-up Britain’s racing history and tradition?
However hard you try to write ‘inclusive alternatives’, Britain has an undeniably long history of horseracing. It was the home of several key developments in the administration of racing such as the General Stud Book and institutions like Weatherbys, often done by white Englishmen. As a result, British racing and betting has a very strong reputation round the world. Even today, Brits will be found at the heart of the world’s largest betting operations from the US to Asia.
Why ditch this history, especially when new potential owners and breeders in places like China are keen to embrace them?
Regardless of academic agenda, the collection of essays in the companion makes a very enjoyable journey through many aspects of horseracing and betting. If you are interested in racing topics beyond what happens on the track this season it a worthwhile read.
