BREED TO WIN

The Pattern was first implemented in 1971, with a total of 18 Group One races. The proliferation of black type opportunities has not strengthened the sport and its public appeal, it has weakened it. Pandering to the egos and marketing strategies of connections has diluted competition and lowered the intensity of the major races. This has been exacerbated by the growth in richly endowed races in international jurisdictions.

It is vital to incentivise breeders to strive to breed the best racehorse that they can and reward them if they can achieve this. It is often assumed that owning the dam of a champion will be its own reward, but that is often an ephemeral pleasure for the national hunt breeders, as mares are often aging, or deceased by the time their best product has achieved his finest hour. Flat breeders of modest means are hard pressed to resist lucrative approaches when they have one mare whose value is so out of line with the rest of their herd.

Motivation for aspiring breeders and the situation for the successful could be much improved by offering a large prize to the breeder of the first British bred horse past the post in the leading races of the year. I believe that these should be confined to those for three years olds and above that constituted the original pattern.

Why exclude two years old races?

Two years olds’ performances are demonstrably inferior to those achieved by the best older horses. Betting turnover is appreciably greater on familiar horses in races enjoying more media coverage. Most pertinently, those breeders who strive to breed two years olds are aiming at a result in the sales ring and not on a racecourse. We do not need to further incentivise the production of horses with limited scope and potential, there is already a glut of them.

I do not know any breeder that could not afford another two hundred pounds to produce a foal: if that is the straw that breaks the camel’s back then they should not be breeding at all. This is not a business that is run so efficiently that one percent is critical to survival.

On current returns, that should provide more than two hundred thousand pounds from national hunt foals. That is enough to cover a hundred grand breeder’s prize for the Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Flat returns suggest there would be around six hundred and fifty thousand in the pot. Enough to cover a hundred thousand prize for The Derby and fifty thousand for the other eleven races from the original pattern.

I would also expect stallion masters to contribute to the mare owners who essentially propel his stallion to greater financial gain.

In order for their stock to race in Great Britain, every stallion should have to be accredited by the BHA. That would entail an endoscopy and declaration of any wind surgery. They would also have to agree to supplying a free nomination to the breeder of any of the Group One races mentioned above. This is a negligible financial commitment for a stallion whose profile and covering fee will be rising off the back of the breeder’s efforts.

Racing is about winning, or rather striving to win. The goal for every participant, at all stages, should be to excel.