Sunday Times

24 August 2025

Come to York and restore the faith. Irish trained favourite Ethical Diamond’s punter pleasing victory in the Ebor highlighted this last of four racing days which have made the all too real fears of an increase in tax seem far away.

In a game where results so often confound the experts there was something almost exasperatingly obvious about the outcome of what should be just about the most competitive handicap run in Britain this year. For Ethical Diamond was last seen winning impressively at Royal Ascot, was the preferred of three runners for maestro trainer Willie Mullins whose limitless jump racing achievements hasn’t stopped him taking two previous Ebors, and in the saddle was the world class William Buick.

Concerns that Ethical Diamond might race too freely were soon allayed and Buick was able to pick his way across to the stands rail and take fellow Irish Invader Ascending at the furlong pole to have two full lengths at the post  with the Aidan O’Brien trained  Queenstown half a length away third with Yorkshire’s Stressfree the first of the home contingent in fourth.

Ireland was taking the Ebor for the third year in a row, Ascending’s trainer Henry De Bromhead having taken it last year and Mullins scoring in 2023 with Absurde who now heads for the Melbourne Cup. After yesterday that would have also seemed a logical target for Ethical Diamond but that turns out to be impossible. “The  veterinary protocols down there wouldn’t suit him. He got a screw in a leg at one stage and anything with a screw is not allowed to run.”

Australia’s loss should be Europe’s game because the talented five year old is likely to be a major contender in the big staying handicaps for at least the next couple of seasons. From the reaction of the splendidly celebratory and wonderfully colourfully if at times scantily dressed crowd, he will give a lot of pleasure too. York is about the horses, come to Ebor day and you will find it is about a party too.

But the clouds still lower and fears of the effects of a mooted 6% increase in betting tax have not gone away so thanks be that York also gives us William Derby, the 54 year old supremo here since 2003, as a superb advocate for what racing represents beyond a mere opportunity to bet. All too often the game’s proponents fail to convince either because the racing side don’t believe they understand the grass roots or because the business side don’t see a grip of finance. But Derby has ridden all his life and currently hacks around on an ex racehorse called Mythical Madness, whilst his education includes an MBA from Harvard Business School. Planned protests might focus attention on racing problems but when it comes to rational argument it is to Derby they should listen. 

“Undoubtedly the funding is under pressure,” he says, “and that is something we need to address as a sport. My answer to those challenges is we need to make the sport more popular, more engaging, more interesting, more relatable and relevant to the wider sporting public. But we generate £70 million per annum to the York economy, and racing as a sport generates £220 million for the Yorkshire economy with over 100 training yards in the county and the racing school at Doncaster and the two training centres and the sales house, so it’s a big business, a big industry that supports lots of rural jobs. I’ve got about 1500 people working for us today, obviously those are race day roles and there are many roles in rural communities in training yards.”

That may be well said but we have a treasury with money to find and an increase in tax on what in the argot can be hailed as “fat cat owners” and “greedy bookmakers” is likely to be one of the least unpopular options. “But 15% of a big figure is much better than 21% of a smaller figure,” Derby calmly responds of the proposed changes. “If the tax rate goes up from 15%, it will either go offshore or people will bet less. If the price of a product goes up or the profitability of a product comes down, people will less engage with it and less money will be generated from that activity. Racing is part of the fabric of this county and I would say of the country and this move will do irreparable damage to the industry that’s been a flag bearer for British sport for more than 300 years.”

So a week which started with the BHA’s unprecedented protest call but was then lit up by four wonderfully fulfilling days at York now closes with the start of National Racehorse Week. Up and down the country racehorse yards will open their doors to demonstrate their pride in caring for the extraordinary equine athlete that remains Britain’s greatest gift to the animal kingdom.

Problems abound but there are reasons for hope.