Horse racing, one of the world’s oldest sports, has always found ways to evolve with the times.
Today, like many other industries, it’s seeing a wave of technological advancements that are reshaping how fans, trainers, jockeys, and even horses experience the sport.
For example, some stables are using advancements in biometrics to ensure the health of their horses, while others are embracing virtual racing events to draw in a new audience.
Fans are also reaping the benefits. Many racecourses now offer enhanced experiences through apps and streaming options, which allow fans to follow races from anywhere.
Speaking of fans, placing a punter or two while watching a race has always been an important part of the horse-racing folklore in the UK.
Lately, this has also gone digital, with instant access to odds and statistics, allowing bets to be placed from almost any mobile device.
Some platforms even offer horse racing tips for today alongside simulated races using artificial intelligence, bringing a new level of engagement to the industry.
Now, let’s have a closer look at five of the most beneficial technological advancements available in the industry today.
Even Horses Have Wearable Tech
Like runners who use smartwatches to track their distance or footballers who wear GPS vests, wearable tech is on the rise.
It is an industry valued at around $160 billion, and given its sheer number of uses, it should come as no surprise that it has also revolutionised how trainers monitor and care for their horses.
Devices like StrideSAFE, which collects 2,400 data points per second, analyse stride patterns and performance metrics in real time.
These sensors detect subtle changes in a horse's movement that might indicate potential health issues before they become serious injuries.
Trainers can now make real-time, data-driven decisions about training, rest, and race readiness. So, not only does it benefit the trainer, but it is also a proactive approach to horse health.
After all, if it can significantly reduce the risk of catastrophic injuries and improve overall equine welfare, then that’s a good thing.
Advanced Medical Imaging
In the same way that we mere mortals can go to a doctor and receive any number of scans if we injure ourselves, so too can horses.
I would go so far as to say it is even more critical for horses because they can’t tell you what’s wrong with them!
That is why tech advancements in medicine and imaging have transformed the way horses are treated either in their yards or at the race course.
Specialised PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scanners have been designed for standing horses and have been installed at major venues, including Santa Anita.
A PET is a type of imaging test that uses radiotracers to create 3D images of the inside of the body, or in this case, the horse. These advanced imaging systems allow vets to detect potential issues that traditional examination methods might miss.
The combination of MRI, CT scans, and PET imaging provides comprehensive health monitoring, ensuring horses receive appropriate care before small issues develop into serious conditions.
Managing The Course
Did you know that in order to determine the ‘going’ on a UK racecourse, the clerk of the course used to walk the course and jab a stick in the ground to see how soft it was?
These days, we’ve come a lot further and although the method has remained similar, the technology is vastly improved.
Today, all UK courses have what is known as ‘GoingStick,’ a sophisticated device that measures ground conditions on a scale of 0 to 15. Zero is the softest, and 15 is the hardest.
The stick is pushed into the ground in three places quite close together, measuring the downward penetration and any soil movement.
Since January 2009, it has been mandatory for all racecourses to publish those readings at both declaration stages and on race days.
However, there is more to ensuring that a course is in perfect condition and that technology has improved surface consistency and safety.
In the United States, the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory conducts standardised tests to analyse conditions, ensuring optimal racing surfaces making racing safer for both horses and jockeys.
The JockeyCam
As somebody who has been to their fair share of races, I can tell you that some courses are much better than others for viewing options. Even if you stump up for the pricier tickets, you don’t always get the best view of the race.
That is often, in large part, to do with the length of the course. The longer the course, the further the horses have to travel, and the less you see until they come back around again.
In 2022, the JockeyCam was unveiled and tried for the first time at Sandown Racecourse.
It is a Virtual Race Experience that allows racegoers to experience the race with a 360-degree immersive view from the jockey's perspective.
It works by using high-definition footage from cameras mounted on the jockey's helmet, which is then fed back to the VR headsets. The footage can also be transmitted to big screens around the course.
For fans it was truly the first way to really know what it feels like to be a jockey and had all the intensity you would expect from such an experience so much so that has become quite popular across racecourses in the UK and even made appearances at both Flemington and Victoria Racing Club in Australia.
Tickets and Technology
Can you remember, in days long ago, when you could simply pitch up at a racecourse or football stadium, pay a few quid and spend the day watching your favourite horses or footballers?
Even when online sales first became a thing, you still got your tickets in the post. Then it moved to an emailed PDF you could download and print out and then onto a mobile phone ticket with a unique barcode that you could scan at the gate.
It turns out that even that hasn’t been enough to avoid overpriced reselling, touts, and scams. So technology has taken it one step further…again.
Now we have ‘Dynamic Mobile Ticket Security,’ a sophisticated system that uses rotating QR Codes that change every 15 minutes.
It basically means that unless the ticket is on the phone it was downloaded to, it is useless. You can’t screen grab it or duplicate it, and you can’t send it on to a friend or family member.
Sure, it eliminates the possibility of counterfeiting and reduces queuing times at race courses, but if you can’t make it to your favourite race meeting at the last minute, you’re kind of stuck.
So, it just goes to show that even with huge technological advancements in horse racing, some things can be a little more of a hindrance than a help!
