Epsom stewards face trial by TV
The court-room drama has been a staple diet of television schedules for decades but next week’s Derby meeting offers something different.
In the latest move prompted by the groundswell of enthusiasm behind the Racing For Change group, stewards’ enquiries determining the outcome of a race at Epsom will be broadcast live by the BBC.
The choice of Epsom is logical in that it is one of the highest-profile meetings of the year and Derby day is likely to attract a large proportion of audience share. The other spin-off is the roller-coaster nature of the course that has produced its fair share of dramatic finishes that have ended up in the stewards’ room, most recently when the victory of Sariska in last year’s Oaks was only confirmed after a 10-minute deliberation.
The inner workings of the stewards’ room have been closely guarded for nearly 250 years, with the detractors believing this had more to do with a desire to conceal any miscarriages of justice than anything else, but now the public will be able to see the procedures that affect the destiny of millions of pounds of punters’ money.
If there is an enquiry related to the winner of any of the meeting’s three prestige races – the Derby, Oaks or Coronation Cup – the outcome could also have a tremendous affect on the stud value of any horse who is disqualified or demoted.
Thus far, stewards’ enquiries in Britain have been conducted behind closed doors, in part because of a reluctance on the part of jockeys to engage in a process that some felt uncomfortable with. But, in the new-found spirit of adventure, the sport now believes these events are an important part of the race-day drama and should be able to be seen by racegoers and TV viewers. These initial live broadcasts are being undertaken on a trial basis so that those involved can assess feedback from both the public and professionals alike.
At every meeting in Britain at least three stewards are responsible for deciding if the Rules of racing have been breached. One of those officials will be a stipendiary steward – many of whom are themselves former jockeys. While justice is the main priority, time is also of the essence because punters, both on and off-course, are waiting to be paid out and subsequent races cannot be delayed. Technology plays a key role in the process, and the stewards at Epsom will have instant access to up to seven different camera angles if interference has taken place and the BHA hopes that it has all the angles covered for this trial, which is mirroring what has been taking place in Australia for many years.
Jamie Stier, director of race-day operations and regulation at the BHA, said: “The televising of these types of stewards’ enquiries will provide a great opportunity for racing’s fans to gain a valuable insight into what takes place in the enquiry room when determining the result of a race. In Australia, the televising of this type of enquiry has proved to be enormously popular with race fans. That the BHA is willing to proceed with this trial underlines the confidence we have in the regulation of racing in Britain.”
At a time when his administration has been coming under fire, Nic Coward, the chief executive of the BHA, will be hoping that this makes for compelling television without being deemed too early for the watershed. He said: “British racing leads other major sports in how it manages its disciplinary functions. We believe that running this trial will help demystify an important aspect of racing whilst adding to the excitement and drama of a race-day.”
Navigating the fears, irrational or otherwise, of the weighing-room fraternity was probably no small drama in itself and Kevin Darley, the former champion jockey and now chief executive of the Professional Jockeys’ Association, appears to have achieved something that has proved beyond others in the past.
“The idea of a trial of televised stewards’ enquiries has been debated widely by jockeys, culminating in a vote among our Flat membership,” he said. “While our decision was in no way unanimous, a majority voted in favour of the trial.
“As an association, we are keen to play our part in modernising the image of racing, and I’m sure the viewing public will grow to appreciate the skills that jockeys employ in our sport. This trial will help to illustrate the challenges faced by riders when split-second decisions
can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Epsom’s unique gradients, uphill finish and deceptive camber test a jockey’s skills to the limit.”
Will it be a ground-breaking move that brings racing closer to its Promised Land of a wider audience, or an equine version of Judge Judy?
The jury is still out on that one.
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