The election won’t bring any joy to the racing community – whatever the outcome

Whatever the outcome of the election on 12 December, it is unlikely to bring joy to the racing community. Conservatives and Labour are planning to review or replace the Gambling Act and they won’t be doing so intending to increase the amounts trousered by the bookmakers. Sadly, the way things have long been organised means it is the size of the gambling industry’s takings that determine how much filters down to finance the sport. Labour and the Liberal Democrats plan, too, to review jockeys’ use of the whip for ‘encouragement’.

It is no surprise that the puritans have long had it in for racing: the sport’s biggest sponsors used to be the drinks industry with the likes of the Whitbread, Mackeson and Hennessy Gold Cups. Nowadays it is the big betting companies that dominate. Last weekend saw the Winter Carnival at Newbury sponsored by Ladbrokes; Betfair sponsored the first big prize of the season at Haydock; while bet365 will bookend the jumping season proper at Sandown.