Dismal Newcastle prize-money adds fuel to a fire - and BHA chair race takes unexpected twist

It is hard to believe any sport has participants who engage more with the politics of their sport than racing. We learned on Saturday one high-profile trainer wants a certain former Westminster politician to lead the sport. That is not going to happen – and based on Saturday's Newcastle card, racing's participants are not going to be any less animated in their quest for greater transparency.

The Saturday just gone was different to any other in the calendar. As part of the two-year premierisation trial, only three meetings are permitted to be staged between 2pm and 4pm on the majority of Saturdays. The rule has been applied to all Saturdays on which a Group 1 race is programmed, the single exception being King George day. When owners and trainers looked at the prize-money available at the Arena Racing Company-owned Newcastle, the break from the norm must have looked unfathomably strange.

Ascot's card was worth a total of £1.77 million. York, the afternoon's second ITV fixture, offered £336,000 for its seven races, while Chester's purse pot reached £145,000. In stark contrast, Newcastle paid out just £51,000.