Latest news with #HollieDoyle
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
New £3.6million marketing drive ignores the real reason people love horse racing
Racing has launched its latest marketing drive - and there's something missing. The Great British Racing campaign, which will run through the summer with the aim of attracting more people to the sport, is called The Going Is Good and is funded to the tune of £3.62m by the Levy Board. A chorus of voices in a 40-second video released last week painted the thrill of a day at the races. 'Hey, girl!' starts the clip, before telling us 'the girls' all got ready 'under one roof' and ended the day 'dancing in our heels - we haven't had a singalong like that in a long time'. A male contributor, meanwhile, informs that 'Hollie Doyle rides - and she's in great form." And that's as close was we get to the activity that got the vast majority of us into racing - betting. The Going Is Good is guilty of the same omission - at least so far - as all the similar ventures that preceded it. Given that the harm done by gambling to a very small percentage of the population is never far from the news, the reason is obvious. But ignoring the umbilical link between racing and punting makes no sense. It's a relationship that stretches back centuries and, without betting, racing would be nothing like the professional sport we enjoy today. When I took my first job in racing, 'doing the board' - look it up if you're lucky enough to be under 50 years of age - in a Bedford betting shop in 1987, horseracing was the dominant sport when it came to bookmaker turnover. But its share of the pie gets smaller, year on year, and football now holds sway. Many of the punters who bet on football have never had any interest in racing. Surely that's a market we should be aiming at, in addition to - if not at the expense of - the great-day-out brigade? I'm not writing this to rubbish The Going Is Good initiative. I am lucky enough to learn my living from horseracing and hope against hope that it succeeds. The wholesomeness of their initial offering is all very well, but the marketeers have to look gambling in the eye. Betting business is booming - every time you check an odds-comparison site, there's a new firm listing its prices. And we need to harness that bond with gambling, rather than pretending it doesn't exist.
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
OPINION: A new marketing drive to promote horse racing ignores one big thing
David Yates says the "Going Is Good" campaign is wholesome but should have looked gambling right in the eye RACING has launched its latest marketing drive - and there's something missing. The Great British Racing campaign, which will run through the summer with the aim of attracting more people to the sport, is called The Going Is Good and is funded to the tune of £3.62m by the Levy Board. A chorus of voices in a 40-second video released last week painted the thrill of a day at the races. 'Hey, girl!' starts the clip, before telling us 'the girls' all got ready 'under one roof' and ended the day 'dancing in our heels - we haven't had a singalong like that in a long time'. A male contributor, meanwhile, informs that 'Hollie Doyle rides - and she's in great form'. And that's as close was we get to the activity that got the vast majority of us into racing - betting. The Going Is Good is guilty of the same omission - at least so far - as all the similar ventures that preceded it. Given that the harm done by gambling to a very small percentage of the population is never far from the news, the reason is obvious. But ignoring the umbilical link between racing and punting makes no sense. It's a relationship that stretches back centuries and, without betting, racing would be nothing like the professional sport we enjoy today. When I took my first job in racing, 'doing the board' - look it up if you're lucky enough to be under 50 years of age - in a Bedford betting shop in 1987, horseracing was the dominant sport when it came to bookmaker turnover. But its share of the pie gets smaller, year on year, and football now holds sway. Many of the punters who bet on football have never had any interest in racing. Surely that's a market we should be aiming at, in addition to - if not at the expense of - the great-day-out brigade? I'm not writing this to rubbish The Going Is Good initiative. I am lucky enough to learn my living from horseracing and hope against hope that it succeeds. The wholesomeness of their initial offering is all very well, but the marketeers have to look gambling in the eye. Betting business is booming - every time you check an odds-comparison site, there's a new firm listing its prices. And we need to harness that bond with gambling, rather than pretending it doesn't exist.
Scottish Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Horse racing tips: ‘He has a lovely draw under Hollie Doyle' – Templegate's 5-2 NAP the one to beat
TEMPLEGATE'S TIPS Horse racing tips: 'He has a lovely draw under Hollie Doyle' – Templegate's 5-2 NAP the one to beat Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TEMPLEGATE takes on Wednesday's racing looking for winners. Back a horse by clicking their odds below. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up DRAMA (8.10 Kempton, nap) He ran a career best when only just held in a competitive contest at Southwell last month. The handicapper has nudged him up a pound but that should not be a problem now back at a track he has won at twice in the past. He has a lovely draw in stall three which should allow Hollie Doyle to get him switched off early off and if he settles then he looks the one they all have to beat for in-form trainer James Ferguson. GETALEAD (5.25 Warwick, nb) Was a big eyecatcher when finishing strongly for third over shorter at Newton Abbot a week ago. A return to further will make him hard to beat. COMMANDING PRINCE (3.30 Ayr, treble) Should be hard to beat in this modest contest. First-time cheekpieces will help him focus and it would be disappointing if he does not progress through the handicap ranks. Templegate's tips Ayr 2.00 Copper Knight 2.30 Underwriter 3.00 Henery Hawk 3.30 Commanding Prince (treble) 4.05 Hosanna Power 4.42 John L Sullivan 5.17 Beltane Brighton 6.00 Pop Dancer 6.30 Immediate Effect 7.00 Mr Ubiquitous 7.30 Devasboy 8.00 Versatile 8.30 Mashaan Chepstow 2.22 Ammes 2.52 Crackamour 3.22 Shaatir 3.55 Rosenpur 4.25 Art Of Fox 5.00 Marsh Benham 5.35 Vape Kempton 5.05 Brize Norton 5.40 Moderna 6.10 Opening Bat 6.40 Bill's Baar 7.10 Madame X 7.40 Racingbreaks Ryder 8.10 Drama (nap) 8.40 Aikhal Warwick 2.40 Roadshow 3.10 Rukaana 3.40 Pride Of Paris 4.15 Ukantango 4.50 A Dublin Job 5.25 Getalead (nb) FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Horse racing tips: ‘He has a lovely draw under Hollie Doyle' – Templegate's 5-2 NAP the one to beat
TEMPLEGATE takes on Wednesday's racing looking for winners. Back a horse by clicking their odds below. DRAMA (8.10 Kempton, nap) He ran a career best when only just held in a competitive contest at Southwell last month. The handicapper has nudged him up a pound but that should not be a problem now back at a track he has won at twice in the past. He has a lovely draw in stall three which should allow Hollie Doyle to get him switched off early off and if he settles then he looks the one they all have to beat for in-form trainer James Ferguson. GETALEAD (5.25 Warwick, nb) Was a big eyecatcher when finishing strongly for third over shorter at Newton Abbot a week ago. A return to further will make him hard to beat. Should be hard to beat in this modest contest. First-time cheekpieces will help him focus and it would be disappointing if he does not progress through the handicap ranks. 2.00 Copper Knight 2.30 Underwriter 3.00 Henery Hawk 3.30 Commanding Prince (treble) 4.05 Hosanna Power 4.42 John L Sullivan 5.17 Beltane Brighton 6.00 Pop Dancer 6.30 Immediate Effect 7.00 Mr Ubiquitous 7.30 Devasboy 8.00 Versatile 8.30 Mashaan Chepstow 2.22 Ammes 2.52 Crackamour 3.22 Shaatir 3.55 Rosenpur 4.25 Art Of Fox 5.00 Marsh Benham 5.35 Vape Kempton 5.05 Brize Norton 5.40 Moderna 6.10 Opening Bat 6.40 Bill's Baar 7.10 Madame X 7.40 Racingbreaks Ryder 8.10 Drama (nap) 8.40 Aikhal Warwick 2.40 Roadshow 3.10 Rukaana 3.40 Pride Of Paris 4.15 Ukantango 4.50 A Dublin Job 5.25 Getalead (nb) Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
Irish Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Rachael Blackmore cracked glass ceiling but presuming it's in smithereens for female jockeys is complacent
A week that began with the shock retirement of Rachael Blackmore , perhaps the most significant female figure to ever ride a racehorse , might end with a different kind of landmark success for another woman on the other side of the Atlantic. At a minute after midnight tomorrow, English jockey Saffie Osborne rides Heart of Honor in the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the US Triple Crown, at Pimlico in Baltimore. It is the 150th Preakness. No woman has ever ridden the winner before. Julie Krone is the only woman to ever ride a US Triple Crown race winner, all of 32 years ago on Colonial Affair in the Belmont. It was a pioneering accomplishment, but not transformative as many hoped. The job of professional jockey in the US remains overwhelmingly male. That isn't the case in other racing jurisdictions around the world. Nearly half of New Zealand 's professional jockeys are women. Emma-Jayne Wilson is Canada's most successful rider. But closer to home the jockey's room remains largely a male preserve. READ MORE There's no contradiction in pointing that out and acknowledging the emergence of a much more encouraging picture for female jockeys in the past decade. Blackmore's trailblazing career has reframed perceptions of women riding over obstacles. Never again can tired old stereotypes about the life of a professional jump jockey being too tough for women get trotted out. Blackmore personified resilience as well as brilliance. Hollie Doyle, the most successful female jockey in British racing history, at Newmarket earlier this month. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty On the flat, Hollie Doyle is one of Britain's most recognisable riders. Last weekend she became the most successful female jockey in British racing history when reaching 1,023 winners there. Her most high-profile victory came in the 2022 French Oaks aboard Nashwa. Osborne's presence alone in the Preakness underlines a very different professional reality for women riders compared to not so very long ago. The significance of what she might achieve is attention grabbing. But her ability to perform on such a high-profile stage isn't an issue. At 23, Osborne is still at the early stages of her career. Like any other young rider, the scale of what she might achieve could come down to getting on enough good horses to showcase her talents. Saffie Osborne, whose presence alone in the Preakness underlines a very different professional reality for women riders compared to not so very long ago. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA The impact of a major victory such as a Preakness might propel an already polished professional to a new level. Once there, the evidence from Blackmore's career is that there can be no limit to where momentum takes you. How Blackmore has been such a singular presence is underlined by the struggles of other female riders. She really is the exception that proves the rule in Ireland. Outright prejudice mightn't prevail any more, but old habits still flourish. With estimates of more than half of all stable staff being women, the paltry number of female riders is woefully out of whack. Siobhan Rutledge was the only woman in the top 40 Irish flat riders last year with seven winners. She's now trying her luck in Australia. Apart from Blackmore, the most successful rider over jumps was the amateur, Jody Townend. Siobhan Rutledge is now trying her luck in Australia. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty It's true that Blackmore has cracked the glass ceiling forever. But presumptions that it is in smithereens smack of complacency. With her pioneering example, the odds are that eventually Irish racing will see another woman feature at the top of the tree, either on the flat or over jumps. Except that 'eventually' can be a very long time. It is in the sport's self-interest to try and make it sooner rather than later. The usual line is how racing is the one sport where male and female compete on an equal footing. It allows the sport to feel satisfied with itself, particularly with figures such as Blackmore and Doyle who succeed on a level playing field despite the obstacles put in front of them. But they are outliers, exceptions that prove the rule about the difficulty female jockeys face in securing the vital initial opportunities required to exhibit their talents and potential in the first place. No one's saying it's straightforward for young male riders either. But old habits die hard, and young female jockeys still must overcome conventional thinking that mightn't be actual prejudice but still smacks of bias. It is interesting to note then how French racing quietly persists with its 2017 policy of weight allowances for female riders in order to try to increase opportunities for them. It prompted predictable outrage and charges of sexism when introduced, although noticeably more outside France than in. Within a year though, there was a 165 per cent increase in the number of wins by female jockeys. The number of rides taken by women had doubled. One of the beneficiaries has been Marie Velon who started her career in 2017. Last year she made the top 10 on the French jockeys' table. Four places behind her was Maryline Eon. Velon's success also includes Group One glory with Iresine where no allowances are in place. French jockey Marie Velon at Ascot last year. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty This is cultural and behavioural change. More has been achieved with concrete efforts to level the playing field than by any amount of posturing. The contrast with Ireland now that Blackmore is retired is stark. There's currently a tide in the affairs of women in racing which can lead to fortune. But it should and can be hurried up. Examining the feasibility of implementing the French model here, in the hope of changing habits, could work out to everyone's benefit. Something for the Weekend Light as Air (5.00) is a half-brother to the Leger hero Continuous. He holds an Irish Derby and if that's realistic he should be a major player in a Navan handicap tomorrow off a mark of 86. His first run of the year at Leopardstown was luckless and eye catching. Earlier on Saturday, the Ballydoyle team's Ides of March (1.25) can lift a Newbury listed contest if not repeating the tardy starts of his last two races.
