The Current State of the UK Horse Racing Industry. An Interview with James Unett

James Unett, a former assistant to John Hills and, more recently, Andrew Reid currently trains his horses in the delightful village of Preston-on-Severn just outside of Uffington, Shrewsbury. He currently houses around twenty horses in his well equiped yard which features a five furlong gallop and eighteen acres of paddocks.

James has the unique distinction of training the first British winner of Switzerland's big race, the Grosser Preis von St Moritz, which takes place over a ten-furlong course marked out on a frozen lake, with his horse Bressbee. It was the first ever overseas runner for the trainer and the first ride on snow for jockey Robert Winston. A remarkable achievement as the winner had an official handicap rating of just 80 in Britain and it is widely accepted that a horse of Listed standard is required to win the Grosser Preis.

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

Yes.

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

Yes.

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

It would be helpful if there were more opportunities for horses at the lower end of the handicap.There are far more moderate horse than good ones and in their own grade make for competitive racing. High handicapped horses on the A/W have few opportunities during the turf season. Do not take that as a stupid answer.

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

No, please let us not get like Italy.

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

Not really, the rich ones can afford to play at their level where the middle to lower owners can't any more as there has to be some justification for their outlay. New owners come into the sport through existing owners not through a bill board on the A4 into London . Blood, guts, sweat and mud might make racing but everyone loves the sight of greenbacks.

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

Yes, it is an open window to the public. As much as the family and fun days are good for the gates, the more discerning punter would be encouraged to go.

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?

Yes, for so long it has been sniped at, yet if turf tracks are to sustain the fixture list and retain some sort of quality with the ground then there has to be alternative racing. The term “All Weather Racing” should be changed to something a bit more in line with the times, it always reminds me of Wolverhampton being called off yet again through frost!

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

No, though a bit of thought to staff should be considered.

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

By stop making a dick of itself in the papers.

Q11: Do you agree with artificially watering racecourses?

No. If the ground is what it is, trainers make up their minds easier than declaring, travelling to the track and find ground loose on top and firm underneath.

Q12: Are there enough new owners entering racing?

No. Not at my end of the food chain.

Q13: How can the BHB be improved?

I think they have only recently moved with the times and as long as propulsion expands with the core of racing it can only improve itself.

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

It would be helpful if there was a professional panel who could help adjudicate should the need arise. So often stupid decisions are made only to be turned over on appeal where a party will end up out of pocket and cause more disgruntled punters than there were anyway. It would be no different than the third eye at Wimbledon for example.

Q15: Do the Bookmakers hold too much power?

Do bears crap in the woods?

Q16: Are Bookmakers contributing enough to Horse Racing?

Not by a long chalk, but the British racing scene would not be the same without them. Racing has a tough cross to bear and they should shoulder some of the weight. However there is nothing better than watching the bastards squeal when you walk down the line with a bunch of tickets.

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

If you are that way inclined it must have been heaven in the early days of the exchanges. By accident or design to have a horse that you can say “this will win” happens quite rarely, building in all the factors of ground, draw and a capable pigmy, so many unlucky things can go against you, so to predict a losing horse is a far higher percentage call.

Q18: Who should own the Tote?

Anyone but the present government.

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

Being more than qualified to answer this NO. But who is an average trainer? Someone ticking along until a good horse comes his way, providing he doesn't bugger it up it can propel you up a league to be a good trainer with better horses sent to you. How many trainers are there past or present that through one good horse might have changed their fortunes.

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

It is not that hard to hire staff to push a broom or drive a tractor but to hire boys or girls with basic know how around horses is difficult.

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

4/1.

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

Diesel, Feed, Blacksmith to name but a few.

Q23: How much has rising costs affected your business?

I train for the small owner. Builders, plumbers, carpet men, entertainment (pubs & clubs) etc. No bricks = no taps = no carpets = no $ to spend.

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

A little.

Q25: How has the Foxhunting ban affected you?

I don't go to the pub as much, have renewed my vows and am a saint to live with.

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

Pretty straight though you would be stupid to think it clean.

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

That is a stupid question.

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

That is even more stupid.

Q29: Does “blood doping” exist within racing?

You would have to define the question more.

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

No, given the opportunities they have now from previous years on getting something back that they never had, absolutely not.

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

Apprentice selling hcps.

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

Viking Awake (he is the only light in a long dark tunnel.) For the moment that is!! We live in hope.