October
FebruaryImperial blather
John Tutty (1/2) is of course correct about the persistence of furlongs and half-miles in the speech of jockeys and trainers (and, less excusably, racing media).
The reason these antiquated terms refuse to die is the same reason obscure expressions persist in many other fields. In-groups use jargon as a sign of belonging and status, and for keeping outsiders out.
In racing, keeping outsiders out is the last thing we want to be doing.
I only wonder why imperial measurements of distance continue to linger in racing, while stones and pounds draw a blank stare from any racing person under the age of 60.
Mind you, for some idiotic reason our handicap ratings — a relatively recent invention — are expressed in something approximating pounds, though each rating point represents a half-kilo while a pound is 0.45kg.
If we handicap in kilos, why not simply express the ratings in kilos? I’m guessing the reason is that our administrators remain in thrall to the Olde Worlde charms of the “mother country”, despite the fact that its racing industry is about three decades behind ours.
Cremorne (Vic)