The connection between French and Australian racing has arguably never been as strong, and while both confront a decline in wagering, the causes, as well as the racing culture, are different, writes Matt Stewart.
It would be easy to characterise Australian and French racing as international twins, but while there are a host of similarities, they are far from identical.
Australian racing had a rich gambling culture from the get-go. The Endeavour had barely anchored at Botany Bay before Two-Up erupted on the beach.
In France there was always cultural caution towards gambling. As a French-based trainer said this week: “The French are funny with money. They’re suspicious.”
The betting culture in France racing is shaped by the ubiquitous PMU, which holds a near monopoly similar to what the TAB did in Australia until about 20 years ago. Given the French origin of the word, it is not surprising that pari-mutuel is still king in French racing.
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