Contempt for the punter; LETTERS.

THE Thursday of Royal Ascot week, and we had six race meetings. Just another example of the contempt with which racing treats the people who provide most of the income - the ordinary punter.

Racing basically sees him or her as a mug that they can milk for as much money as possible and give very little to in return. Why do I say this? 1. Six meetings on many midweek days and up to eight on Saturdays. Utterly ridiculous. Who's going to go to them all? 2. Having 48-hour declarations, producing chaos if there is a going change, when there can be more than 50 non-runners with fields becoming uncompetitive.

3. Sunday racing, when the fields can be hit hard by non-runners without any apparent reason, such as the going.

People have stopped going racing on Sundays because they set off for what looks like a decent fixture and end up watching several uncompetitive races.

4. Self-certification of non-runners, which means many trainers wait until the last minute to announce them.

5. Ritual declaration of non-runners in races of 16+ runners to below 16 without there ever being an inquiry into why this keeps happening.

6. pounds 25 to get into most racecourses.

7. pounds 10 or more for racecourse car parking.

8. Bookmakers who will not take less than a pounds 20 bet.

The BHA wonders why most people go racing only once in a while. Why should ordinary people sponsor the rich at play for little or no return in terms of enjoyment (15 minutes action in three hours) and no hope of participation? Alan Merrett Sheffield Published research by the Racing Post has shown there is no higher proportion of non-runners in handicaps of, or close to, 16 runners than in any other races..