56 2GM Monday July 27 2020 | the times
SportRacing
5
The leading trainer Mark Johnston
yesterday accused racecourses of
“threatening the whole future of the
sport” by their refusal to contribute to
prize money as a result of the coronavi-
rus pandemic.
Johnston, who is the top trainer at
Glorious Goodwood with 84 winners, is
taking a smaller team than usual to the
five-day meeting, which starts
tomorrow.
The Middleham trainer, who is a
qualified vet, has saddled more winners
in Britain than anyone, and is not afraid
to speak his mind. “I was quick to say
the principal sufferers from the suspen-
sion of racing were those whose income
was ended overnight, like the self-em-
ployed jockeys and racecourses,” John-
ston said.
“We trainers were in a very lucky
position. The vast majority of owners
kept paying the bills and we kept going.
Now that racing has resumed I think
cent [of the media rights money] and
give nothing to the owners.
“They’re threatening the whole
future of the sport and it’s a very silly
attitude to take. We appreciate they’ve
been hit hard but so has everybody.
They can’t just assume that they [theowners] will continue to pay, because
they won’t. They’ll leave the sport. The
prize money in British racing is pitiful
compared to other countries. Owners
pay for racing.
“We’ve relied for 25-30 years on for-
eign investment. If they start takingZabeel Champion is expected to bring Johnston success this week at GoodwoodHUGH ROUTLEDGE/PA
their horses elsewhere, we’re doomed.”
There has been great frustration
among owners and trainers at a
letter that was sent by the Racecourse
Association (RCA) to its members.
“The main complaint was that the
RCA tried to get the racecourses to
make a unilateral declaration that they
would not make any contribution to
prize money,” Johnston said.
“When trainers say we’re not going
to race for less than £5,000, they call
that a strike. But it’s all right for them to
send a letter to say they will make a col-
lective decision not to make a contribu-
tion to prize money. I’m not calling for
a strike but there is a lot of unrest.”
The RCA issued a rebuttal to claims
that the courses are being unreason-
able, stating that “the Horsemen’s
Group does not appear to have recog-
nised just how badly racecourses have
been affected” but that has not ap-
peased Johnston or, for that matter,
many other trainers.
Johnston’s Goodwood numbers may
be down but he still has eight runners
on the opening day and should add to
his record-breaking tally during the
week. Asked if there is a handicapper to
look out for, Johnston defers to his son
and assistant, Charlie. Zabeel Cham-
pion, who runs on Wednesday, is the
answer. “He’s obviously a progressive
horse,” he said. “He looks the right kind
of horse for Goodwood.”Snooker
World Snooker Championship, qualification
(England unless stated)
A Carty v R Milkins; A Hamilton v S Donaldson
(Sco); A McManus (Sco) v L Heathcote;
O’Brien (Ire) v W Liang (Ch); O’Donnell v E
Slessor; N Saengkham (Tha) v E Sharav (Sco);
M Selt v K Maflin (Nor); Ursenbacher (Sui) v A
Higginson.Results Fixtures
Cricket
Emirates Old Trafford: England v West Indies
Test series, third Test Day four of five.
Kia Oval: Surrey v Middlesex, friendly match
Day two of two.-14 M Wolff (65, 68, 70, 67); T Gooch (thru 17);
B Hoag (65, 75, 69, 63); M Homa (thru 13); C
Triangle (thru 14)
-13 C Davis (Aus) (thru 16); D Fritelli (SA)
(68, 67, 70, 66); D Ghim (70, 68, 67, 66); C
Schwartzel (SA) (thru 12); S Straka (Aut) (70,
67, 71, 63); R Werenski (thru 12); X Zhang (thru
17)
-12 A Baddeley (66, 73, 69, 64)Golf
US PGA Tour 3M Open
Blaine, Minnesota: Early final-round leaders
(United States unless stated):
-17 M Thompson (thru 13)
-16 R Shelton (68, 68, 68, 64); A Long (thru 17)
-15 T Finau (thru 13); E Grillo (Arg) (thru 16); C
Howell (thru 16); A Noren (Swe) (thru 15)Cricket
Day/night one-day tour match
Ageas Bowl (Ireland won toss): Ireland 296
(49.4 overs, Balbirnie 60, Stirling 53, Tector 55;
England Lions 297-3 (34.4 overs, P Salt 100
ret not out, J Vince 66 ret not out,
S Billings 54 not out). England Lions won by
seven wickets.
Four-day friendly match
Taunton: Gloucestershire 258-8 (G Roderick 96
not out, C Dent 50, G van Buuren 30 ret inj,
G Scott 19; C Overton 3 for 34, J Brooks 2-63, N
Gilchrist 2-26)
Two-day friendly match
Kia Oval: Surrey 335 all out, 90 overs (S Borth-
wick 87, W Jacks 62, Clark 67 not out)Top trainer blasts
courses over cash
everybody appreciates how much the
racecourses have lost in that time but
they can’t take the owners for granted.”
Prize money has been slashed, par-
ticularly at the higher levels, and Good-
wood is no exception. As an example,
the group two Veuve Clicquot Vintage
Stakes tomorrow is worth £28,355 to
the winner. Last year it was £113,420.
“It’s sustainable only for a very short
time,” Johnston said. “When the prize
money levels have been maintained far
better in other countries, then it’s only
a matter of time before the top horses
start to drain away.
“It’s principally down to the race-
courses making zero contribution [to
prize money]. We all appreciate how
much money they have lost. All I would
ask of them is when the money starts to
stream again, which it already has done
in the form of media rights, then you’ve
got to share some of it.
“They’re not getting nothing now.
They are making money and they can’t
take the attitude that they take 100 perRob Wright Racing Editor