Chris Richardson urges racing to unite as it faces up to challenging times

Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, has urged racing's many factions to unite and move forward as one as it faces up to a challenging period for the sport.

On behalf of Cheveley Park's David and Patricia Thompson, owners of this year's prestigious Gimcrack Stakes with Threat, Richardson was giving the traditional owners' speech at the 249thGimcrack Dinner at York racecourse on Tuesday evening, attended by 170 invited guests from the racing world.

As well as urging racing to unite, Richardson was keen to highlight the "significant contribution" owners of all sizes make to the industry, as well as highlighting the "thoroughbred and its future" as the most important consideration at all times.

"It seems to us that the biggest problem facing British racing today remains a lack of unity," said Richardson. "The racing 'product' is dependent upon different interest groups, in many cases with understandable but often conflicting responsibilities to shareholders and others who have no close connection to, or passion for, racing.

Threat lands the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York in AugustCredit: Edward Whitaker

"Commercial pressures dictate a short-term view among many participants that does not sit comfortably with our role as the present custodians of the thoroughbred racehorse, a creature fashioned by man over two and a half centuries and now, to a sadly increasing number of 'stakeholders', a commodity bred to serve a swollen betting market that has seen the fixture list grow commensurately."

Richardson, who recalled 1975 Gimcrack winner Music Boy – who carried the same silks as Threat to victory – as the start of Cheveley Park's success story, added: "The cricketing legend, Michael Holding, was once quoted as saying: 'You can’t change racing, you can just have less of it and make people more welcome'. Middle stump.

"Fortunately, there still remains a core of participants in the industry with a common goal and if we place the thoroughbred and its future at the heart of an industry-wide recovery plan, the next half-century may begin to look rosier than perhaps it does now.

"A vibrant, united industry, growing on the rewards of its own income streams, not selling itself too cheaply to outside interests, will benefit all its participants. The unity needs to start now."

Read The Lowdown from 8.30am daily on racingpost.com and the Racing Post app for all the day's going updates, news and tips