The widespread introduction of smartphones has impacted many walks of life, with recent news stories showing how these devices have changed some of the different ways we enjoy horse racing. What are some of the key aspects of mobile horse racing that you need to know about?
Diverse Ways of Recreating the Horse Racing World
For many smartphone owners, the number of ways of accessing the horse racing world on their mobile screen is the most noticeable difference. Some of the latest apps let you breed and own a virtual horse, sending it to take part in races. Real-life horse owners can also benefit by using apps like Groomy, which lets them keep their health and grooming records all in one convenient place.
A different trend can be seen when we look at the likes of the Slingo Constitution Hill game. This is based on the Slingo genre, which is a cross between slots and bingo where players look to complete winning lines to earn prizes. These games have been created using a variety of themes, with the Constitution Hill title based on the famous racehorse of the same name. Each player chooses one of the colored horses when the game begins and watches them race around the track to see if their choice wins a prize.
Follow the Races Wherever You Are
Horse racing fans traditionally had the option of watching the races live or tuning in to them on TV. The Kentucky Derby is America’s biggest race and attracts millions of TV viewers annually, but it still lags behind the UK’s Grand National, which is watched by around 600 million spectators on their TV screens each year. Watching YouTube is an easy way to catch recent races, or you could use a news app such as Horse Racing News & Results.
Horses Now and Racing TV are alternative apps that put the latest news and results into the hands of racing fans as this niche grows, and we look for more ways to stay up to date. This summary of how to watch the Kentucky Derby in 2024 revealed that streaming services including Fubo, Hulu+, and Sling all offered the chance to catch the action from Churchill Downs on a mobile device. The 2025 race will be broadcast exclusively by the NBC Sports Group, who will be hoping to see recent audiences of 16 million viewers repeated or improved upon.
Should Jockeys Be Able to Use Smartphones?
A little-known rule hit the headlines in Japan last year, as jockey Nanako Fujita used her smartphone at a restricted time. The jockey, who had won the 2024 Shergar Cup meeting at Ascot, decided to quit the sport and ask for her license to be revoked. The incident didn’t occur during a race, as it turns out that smartphones can’t even be used by jockeys the night before a race.
The Japanese Racing Association requires that all jockeys are isolated from 9 pm the evening before a race, with no way of communicating with the rest of the world until the race ends. As smartphones have emerged as a major part of our daily lives, authorities will need to consider whether an outright ban on smartphone usage like this is the best approach or whether some sort of middle ground can be obtained.
The Future
We’ve already seen how horse racing has adapted perfectly to the introduction of smartphones in several ways, but there are still some changes that we can expect to see cutting-edge technology like augmented reality and virtual reality make an impact. Virtual horse racing is already carried out in the metaverse, and it seems likely that we see real-life races enter here before long.
Add Comment