Stable Staff. The backbone of Racing. The unsung heroes of the sport. Whilst racegoers flocked to Ascot for five days of royalty,champagne and top class Racing, stable staff were busy working hard behind the scenes, preparing the equine stars of the show for height of season targets.
As I flicked through my extortionately priced race card before Racing on Tuesday afternoon (£7 to be exact), I noticed a small yet significant detail underneath the name of each horse running throughout the seven race card. That fine detail was the name of every groom responsible for looking after a specific horse in the race.
I have attended Royal Ascot for the last five years now, a sixth year taken away due to the pandemic in 2020. As a result, I have collected race cards from the meeting and Ascot deserve massive credit for including such a meaningful gesture every year.
However, this did leave some thoughts in my mind regarding the topic. If Royal Ascot, one of the flagship meetings within the British Racing calendar can recognise Stable Staff in a race card, why can’t this be implemented all year round at every meeting?. I would be interested to know how Ascot gather all of the individual names in the build up to the meeting. Perhaps other racecourses could follow suit.
I must make something clear, this is not a moan. It’s a suggestion that I feel can give Stable Staff the recognition they truly deserve. Whilst you were sat in Car Park 1, 2 or travelling by public transport enjoying a drink & or food, Stable Staff were up at the crack of Dawn riding out before then taking a horse to Ascot as well as doing everything possible to keep horses calm in very warm conditions. Without such dedication, Racing would simply not happen.
The Godolphin Stable Staff Awards evening is a fantastic event that brings great joy to those who are continuously working around the clock in order to keep the show on the road. Yet, after seeing what Ascot produced at the Royal Meeting, I feel this should be a step towards having a significant detail included in every race card throughout the year.
Stable staff are the beating heart at the centre of Racing. It is only right that we recognise all of the work they put in.
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