After a busy weekend of horse racing the Racing Post‘s Lee Mottershead, Jonathan Harding and Scott Burton sat down for the latest episode of The Front Page show.
Topics for the episode include the Epsom and French derbies as well as what the upcoming general election could mean for horse racing levy reform negotiations.
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🗣 "It just felt as though this particular Derby was more important than their previous winners" @leemottershead is joined by @JonHardingRP and @seenthestars as they reflect on the Derby
Watch here: https://t.co/5uj0iq48Yc pic.twitter.com/sO6Bvspsgf
— Racing Post (@RacingPost) June 4, 2024
The show starts with the trio discussing City Of Troy’s victory in the Betfred Derby at Epsom. The 3-1 favourite bounced back from a poor performance at Newmarket to give trainer Aidan O’Brien a record-extending tenth win at the Epsom derby.
They then speculate on what could be next and suggest that he could make his way over to the US and compete at Saratoga and in the Breeders Cup Classic. These races are competed on dirt tracks which traditionally European horses don’t compete well on.
Burton said: “I think when you look at the breeders cup every year we send alot of our best horses but they compete on the turf. Generally speaking, we don’t try on the dirt so it would be hugely exciting [if City of Troy competes].”
Focus then switches across the channel to France where Look De Vega emerged victorious in the French Derby at Chantilly.
Burton, as the Racing Posts French Correspondent, was at the event and described the race as a “very professional performance from an inexperienced horse”.
To finish off the podcast the trio discuss what the upcoming general election could mean for ongoing discussions between racing, betting and the government regarding the sports levy reform.
Currently, British operators pay a 10% levy on gross profits to British horse racing to facilitate betting on the sport however racing is calling for this figure to increase to 11.5%. Racing also wants bookmakers to pay the levy on bets placed by British gamblers on overseas races.
Bookmakers rejected this offer with the overseas racing point being a particular sticking point.
Mottershead explains how the racing industry had started to put pressure on the government through select Tory members, however with it looking likely that Labour will win a majority in the upcoming election talks between stakeholders could go back to the start.
Harding adds that he is hopeful that there will be a government will to force through an agreement given that without government help it is unlikely that the two stakeholders will come to a compromise.
