The current state of the UK horse Racing Industry. An Interview with Mark Johnston

Mark Johnston Racing Ltd. (MJR) was established in 1988 when Kingsley House was purchased. When Mark Johnston Racing acquired the property, it was transformed from a run down 34 box yard into one of the most modern training establishments in the country. Now it boasts 67 boxes with an on-site equine swimming pool, electronic horsewalkers and lunging rings. Kingsley House also has some of the very best veterinary facilities including a Veterinary room with endoscopy and x-ray facilities. In 1994, Warwick House, the training yard directly opposite Kingsley House, was purchased. After renovation and building work, the combined yards now total 142 boxes with great on-site facilities. Close by there are gallop facilities with extensive grass gallops, as well as 7 furlong and one and a half mile all-weather gallops.

Winners from the Kingsley House stables have been increasing, as has the total prizemoney won by horses at the yard. Mark surpassed the £2m prize money mark for the first time in 2002. The combination of major investment both in facilities and people, and brilliant training have led to these excellent results. His major victories have included 1,000 Guineas -Attraction (2004), 2,000 Guineas - Mister Baileys, (1994)Ascot Gold Cup - Double Trigger (1995), Royal Rebel (2001 & 2002), Coronation Stakes - Attraction (2004), Dewhurst Stakes - Shamardal (2004), Falmouth Stakes - Nahoodh (2008), St. James's Palace Stakes - Bijou d'Inde (1996), Sun Chariot Stakes - Attraction (2004, )Rheinland-Pokal - Yavana's Pace (2002), Irish 1,000 Guineas - Attraction (2004), Matron Stakes - Attraction (2005), Phoenix Stakes - Princely Heir (1997), Gran Criterium - Lend a Hand (1997), Pearl of Love (2003), Kirklees (2006), Dubai Sheema Classic - Fruits of Love (1999)

Q1: Do you feel there are currently too many Horse Racing meetings?

Yes. The theory of having as many meetings as the betting industry want is fine but not if the increased income is less than the cost of running and, under the current system, that is inevitably the case

Q2: Are the current meetings fairly and sensibly spread over the country?

No. The OFT's ruled against rules which ensured a spread of meeting around the country. I understand their theory of free competition but who gains? Not the public and not the horse professionals (jockeys, trainers, owners).

Q3: What kind of races would you like to see more of and which less of?

In the long run we would all like to see more quality racing but it isn't something we can do overnight. First we have to stop the erosion. I would like to see a review of the handicap system to narrow down the bands, ensure that horses ran against others of similar ability for prize money related to their quality. There should be a cut off rating at the bottom so that low grade horses aren't giving weight away to even lower grade horses

Q4: Do you feel the various grades of races receive the correct proportion of prize money?

No. Better horses should earn more money. It is simple. The current system, whereby a 75 rated handicapper can often earn more in a year than a horse rated 100 is inevitably going to result in our best horses going abroad. It has been happening for years and is now reaching crisis point.

Q5: Is the current level of prize money on offer sufficient to both encourage new owners and retain existing ones?

Obviously not. Only the very richest of owners can continue to race in Britain . It is all very well to have small owners saying that they aren't in it for the prize money but, generally, that type of owner doesn't last very long.

Q6: Should there be more major races staged on a Sunday?

Probably, yes. We all originally believed that Sunday, where the costs of putting on racing (staff etc.) are inevitably higher, would be restricted to better quality racing and I still think that is how it should be. I can understand the desire of racecourses to concentrate racing into the weekends when the public can go but someone has to understand, if you are going to do that, the ‘players' have to be paid.

Q7: Do you think the sex and age allowances in this country set at a fair level?

Yes

Q8: Is “All Weather Racing” good for the long term future of the sport?

I originally thought so but I am getting tired of the proliferation of poor quality all-weather races. It will be a disaster if we allow our racing to degenerate into betting fodder on all-weather tracks.

Q9: Should Racing only operate on six days a week?

It would be much better for those that work in the industry.

Q10. How can we make Racing more attractive to the Sporting public?

By promoting interest in, and understanding of, all aspects of the sport rather than promoting betting alone. This doesn't mean that we should bombard the ‘punters' with useless information. It means that we should promote understanding of the aims and objectives, the hierarchy of horses, the aims of the aspiring champions and all that would be promoted in other sports.

Q11: Do you agree with artificially watering racecourses?

Watering is often necessary to promote grass growth but should NEVER be used to alter the ground. Courses are now watered so often that many tracks have loose surfaces with no root. I would like to see a ban on watering within 6 days of a race meeting. If this meant, because of long meetings or repeat meetings, that some tracks couldn't water for long periods then so be it. They would have to prepare a seriously good covering of grass in advance.

Q12: Are there enough new owners entering racing?

Not enough who can afford to stay.

Q13: How can the BHA be improved?

They have two excellent departments, one which understands horses (the veterinary department) and one which understands racing (the handicappers; these people should play a much bigger role in the administration and governance of the sport.

Q14: What changes if any, would you like to see in the way Stewards Enquiries are held?

Do away with nonsensical rules and instructions which try to cater to the ignorant majority (e.g. H14 and H19). Stop stipendiary stewards and stewards secretaries from playing prosecutor and make the principal objective of the enquiry to see fair play.

Q15: Do the Bookmakers hold too much power?

Yes.

Q16: Are Bookmakers contributing enough to Horse Racing?

No.

Q17: Do you agree that Betting Exchanges are a “cheat's charter”?

I wouldn't use those words but I cannot accept the principal of betting to lose. I think we are inviting problems by allowing individuals to back horses to lose.

Q18: Who should own the Tote?

Racing but, by ‘Racing', I don't mean the racecourses or a group calling themselves ‘Racing' led by a consortium of individuals and organisations. Alternatively, the Government should own it for the benefit of racing, as they, theoretically, do now.

Q19: Can the average trainer survive on prize money won and fees alone?

No.

Q20: Is it harder to hire and retain staff now than it was ten years ago?

Yes.

Q21: What ratio of staff to horses do you operate?

2 horses to 1 member of staff but most people outside the industry never consider how many staff there are who don't ride and / or groom horses.

Q22: In % terms, how much have costs risen in the last year and what single item has increased the most?

I could tell you exactly if I studied our management accounts but I'd say, off the top of my head, that costs have risen about 10%. The main increase is staff.

Q23: How much has rising costs affected your business?

As they would affect any business. We are lucky that we are supported by the Maktoum family who are willing to spend huge amounts of money to bolster up British racing. Other owners are cutting back.

Q24: Are you able to pass any of your increased costs on?

Of course. We have to.

Q25: How has the Foxhunting ban affected you?

It hasn't affected our business a great deal other than the greatly increased cost of disposing of casualty animals (the hunt used to take care of it) but it is a great example of what an ignorant majority can do to a sport in the name of animal welfare when they have little or no understanding of the subject.

Q26: In your view, how corrupt is Horse Racing?

It isn't.

Q27: Do you feel the Racehorse is as robust as it used to be?

It is very hard to tell. We expect so much more of them and they are clearly much faster and so they put more pressure on themselves. However, it is clearly quite likely that, if we race horses on artificial surfaces and watered surfaces, we will quickly alter the breed to cope with those surfaces rather than fast / firm turf.

Q28: Will we ever see a woman champion jockey (Flat or National Hunt)?

Personally, I don't think we will see it in my lifetime.

Q29: Does “blood doping” exist within racing?

No.

Q30: Is it possible to stop trainers and owners betting on their horses to lose?

It is possible to make it very difficult and to make the penalty greater than the incentive but it is, of course, always possible to break the rules.

Q31: In your view, which kind of races should punters avoid?

Large field, wide weight range, handicaps.

Q32: Can you supply two horses for Priceform readers to follow?

No. If that is all the previous 32 questions were leading to, you are wasting both my time and the readers. Punters should follow form, not tips, regardless of the source of those tips.

Anyone interested in finding out more about this stable can look on Mark's website http://www.markjohnstonracing.com/