Where are the characters in the racing industry?
That’s the question Sam Hyland posed on SENTrack’s Tuesday Trackside with the former jockey and racing broadcaster saying it’s on the racing industry as a whole to promote our stars of the sport.
Hyland says the racing industry has become far too stale and wonders whether the sheer mass of racing has had an impact on the great characters of our sport.
“Where are the characters of our sport, where are they?” Hyland said.
“To make it fun, we need more of the jockeys and trainers to have a bit of a laugh and put it out there.
“I watch horse racing now and I think, ‘you know what it used to be a lot of fun, this sport’.
“But now, is it because it’s on every day and every night that we’re just sick of it, is there that much of it that it just becomes a bit of a drain?
“I think it does and that’s why it’s important that we need people to lighten things up and make it a bit more fun.”
Hyland says the racing industry as a whole needs to step back and look at how they’re covering the sport.
With turnover going down, it’s clear that the racing industry is looking to innovate and draw new eyes to our great sport and Hyland thinks they should start by promoting the stars of the turf.
“It used to be a lot more fun. I remember going to the races and you used to talk to the trainers, jockeys, owners, strappers and characters of the sport and you got to know them, and you looked forward to seeing them at the races,” Hyland added.
“I reckon it’s such a drag now because we’ve got so much of it and everyone is tired now and it’s even like when you watch it on the TV and I could fall asleep, it’s not entertaining, and it’s supposed to be entertainment.
“I think it needs to lighten up a little bit, it’s important that we get to know the key participants more and we get to really sell the sport.
“As much as it is a gambling sport, it also needs to be really entertaining and more so now because we’re struggling to get people to watch it.”